TUC Congress 2024: Sunday

This afternoon at 4pm it was the start of Trade Union Congress 2024 in Brighton Conference centre. Congress will last until Wednesday. I am here as a UNISON delegate and was really pleased that the first motion was "Standing up for care workers" moved by a UNISON care worker, Sian Stockholm. This was passed unanimously. 

The President this year is Fire Brigade Union (FBU) General Secretary, Matt Wrack,who started his career as a firefighter in Silvertown, Newham. He spoke passionately about Grenfell in his address and was also in tears after the speeches about him in the "vote of thanks" for his past year as President. 

The address by sororal delegate from the Labour Party, was by former trade union lawyer, Ellie Reeves MP (sister of the Chancellor) .  She made it clear that while there will be differences between the unions and a Labour Government, Labour under Keir Starmer will remain the party for workers. Afterwards Matt presented Ellie with a TUC Gold Badge. 

While Akhator Joel Odigie, the general secretary of ITUC Africa also addressed Congress. He reminded us that Africa supplies Europe not only with NHS workers but precious metals for mobile phones and car batteries. He wished that Labour UK plans on rolling back zero hour contracts, fire and rehire etc were not also happening in Africa.   

Final item today was remembering union activists who had passed away in the last year.

I will try and post on Congress, speakers, speeches and fringes when I can. It is exciting that this is the first TUC in 14 years to take place at the same time as a Labour Government.