TUC Congress 2025: Day 2

The first full day of Congress (Monday) started for me with an early morning jog along Brighton beach. At 9.30am I took my seat with the UNISON delegation. 

There was a number of important debates on Fire service, Zane’s Law, Prison safety, wealth tax, tackling the far right, tackling sexism and the probation service.  There was a number of UNISON speakers.

The TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak, gave a hard hitting address, attacking Reform MPs for voting against the Employment rights Bill and also for supporting US-style private health care. 

During lunch I attended a fringe on “How should trade unions respond to the rise of Reform UK” with Hope Not Hate and addressed by UNISON assistant General Secretary Liz Snape. The lesson for me from this fringe is that we have to listen, understand and win over members who support Reform and not just condemn them.

Ellie Reeves MP, a former trade union lawyer now Solicitor General, gave a well received address to Congress as the Labour Party Sororal delegate.

In the evening I went to my second fringe of the day. “Worker-Centric Housing - how do we build 1.5 million homes for where workers want to live? By YIMBY Alliance with panel speaker Maggi Ferncombe from UNISON. I expressed my usual concern on this topic that we will not be able to build all these homes without more public subsidy. 

Trade Union Congress 2024: Monday

(better late than never) Day 2 of TUC started for me with a session in the hotel's gym followed by a jog along a damp and windy Brighton prom. Congress started at 9.30am. First item again was a short general video celebrating "Union wins"  including UNISON pay and conditions victories for workers.

Motions to be debated this morning where themed around "Winning a better future for working people" with debates on wider schools, education, health & safety, prisons, teachers pensions, transport, merchant navy & "The future of football and the need for player engagement" (moved by the PFA - the most highly paid trade unionists in the UK). 

Next the TUC General Secretary address by Paul Nowak. He spoke passionately about his joy at the end of 14 years of Tory rule. He welcomed the increase in trade union membership by 90,000 in the last year and the repeal of anti-strike legislation by the new Labour government. He said it shows the difference, unity and solidarity makes. "Keir Starmer and this government has the interests of workers at heart in a way that the Tories never had". 

He spoke about a recent visit to Ukraine. He visited destroyed factories, blocks of flats and children hospitals. He attacked the far right such as the Putin apologist, Farage, as as not being patriots, they are frauds. He reminded Congress of his speech last year that his grandfather Joe, was a migrant who served in the Polish Air Force in the second world war. 

He welcomed that that there was positive relationships with good employers and we will use new rights to hold bad bosses to account. To put Amazon and every other anti union, anti worker employer on notice, "our movement is coming for you". 

Next debates themed "Protecting the right to strike and winning the New Deal". A number of interesting points about the need to control those employers who may pay lip service but do not believe in social dialogue and must be brought to heal. End the current "Wild West" in UK employment law.  

Congress finished slightly late for lunch to finish business. I went to the "COVID19 Enquiry - the story so far" fringe and listened to speakers from Thompsons solicitors, UNISON (Gloria Mills), TUC, NASUWT and bereaved families. 

Congress reopened at 2.15pm. Theme was "Building a Fairer Economy". More motions on the economy, fair tax, pay, North sea, Industrial strategy, union recognition, climate, Europe, UK steel, Royal mail  and public interest.  Some of  them motions have been composited (merged to save time). 

UNISON spoke against Composite 5 moved by Unite regarding the use of fossil fuels since it was felt that it went against our conference policies over climate change. Other Public sector unions also spoke against. The Unite right to reply stated that we had to retain a variable fossil fuel industry until transition takes place or we will simply run out of fuel to cook our food and heat our homes. It went to a card vote. UNISON had 1,187,000 votes (the biggest affiliate). In Favour 2,712,000 v 2 457,000 for Against. Composite was  carried. 

Motion 20 "Relations with Europe" moved by Prospect was another controversial one. The TUC General Council read out a statement on the motion (written in classical TUC speak). The RMT opposed on grounds that if we were in EU (or had "dynamic alignment" to their social legislation) the anti-privatisation laws currently being passed by the UK would be illegal. Motion was carried overwhelmingly. 

At end of conference I went to the Labour Unions fringe which was packed. Unfortunately the main speaker, Angela Rayner MP could not attend but we had a number of excellent speakers at the fringe. 

TUC London, Eastern & South East Regional Council AGM 24

 

(Text largely from my twitter account @grayee) "At @The_TUC LESE AGM in Congress House, London (home of the British Trade union movement) which I am attending as a @unisonglr delegate.

After a minutes silence to remember comrades who have died in past year, the AGM starts with a Video message from @The_TUC General Secretary @nowak_paul & now verbal report from @TUC_LESE regional Secretary @GurneySam.

Bit of a shock that TUC Executive Council are considering whether they should remortgage Congress House & refurbish it to modern standards or sell it & move elsewhere.

Next @The_TUC President & GS @fbunational @MattWrack keynote speaker on ""meeting the challenges & organising to win". Matt speaks passionately about 7th anniversary of #Grenfell, the vote winning importance of @UKLabour #NewDealforWorkingPeople & 40th anniversary of #Minersstrike

@The_TUC Women's officer @louloupound gives update on workplan to build union capacity to tackle sexual harassment in workplace. Nikki does not dodge the fact that we need in our own #LabourMovement to get our House in order & address sexual harassment & discrimination.

Next update was by @TUC_LESE officer Adrian Ryan on the London union learning project Unionlearn

Now election results for @TUC_LESE executive council and elections for President, Vice Presidents, treasurer, SOC & auditors. New President @RMTunion Kathy Mazur thanks Jim Kelly & then moves RMT motion 1 "A better railway for London, SE and the East of England"

Motion passed unanimously. Now 2nd RMT motion "No more P&Os: A fair pay agreement for the ferry sector". Also passed unanimously.

Update by @TUC_LESE Laurie Heselden on "New Deal for Working People". Making it clear that this is a trade union policy as much as @UKLabour

Following some rather odd & negative comments from a couple of delegates Our @unisontheunion delegation leader @organiserjo makes the point in Q&A that the relationship of @TUC_LESE &
@UKLabour @labourunionsuk & the positive work that is done. While President @unitetheunion Jim Kelly gave a ringing endorsement of @SadiqKhan for his support 4 workers

Update by project lead Maria McCaul on London Unemployed Strategies

Final update by Daniel Shannon-Hughes on @TUC_LESE Bulletin. Only 3k out of 1.8 million trade unionists are current subscribers'. Scan to sign up! (top left of collage) or click here  https://tuc.org.uk/lese-news\

Final item Finance report. Meeting closed.

TUC Pensions Conference 2023: "Pensions in a Cost of Living Crisis"

Yesterday I returned to Congress House, the TUC headquarters for its annual pension conference. This event involves union officers, pension trustees and activists with expert presentations/Q&A and workshops. It was great to be back in person at long last. I am a UNISON appointed employee member of a LGPS Pension Board and the Local Government trade union appointee to the London CIV. 

The theme this year had to be "Pensions in a Cost of Living Crisis". Below is based on my tweets during the day. Not a comprehensive report on all the presentations since I was trying to pull together and send to my employer a pay claim while listening. 

I was lucky to be picked by panel chairs to ask a number of questions. I was sitting in the front (as normal) and wearing my lucky blue checked shirt. 

Great to be back at

@The_TUC

for its #pensions conference. Open by new General secretary

@nowak_paul

& 1st keynote speaker David Pitt-Watson (good to see again)

@theRSAorg

 

David speaking persuasively on the case for #CollectiveDefindedContribution #pensions. DB best - since employer guarantees, but DC annuities worse since invest in low return gilts. #CDC 30% better DC. (Or even #CollectiveDefinedContribution #CDC. I will post more on CDC.

Now important panel on improving trustee diversity & inclusion Chair Janice Turner

@bectu

, Westminster LGPS,

@unisontheunion

@unisonglr

Chris Smith & Zoe Burdo from

@LCP

(thanks for the name check Chris)

Keynote speaker Shadow DWP secretary

@JonAshworth

MP speaks about proud record on #pensions by

@UKLabour

& unions but now must undo when in power years of #tory pension failure

Labour’s priorities for pensions: Economic growth underpinning a growing state pension Support for older people who want to stay in work Expanding auto-enrolment

My question to

@JonAshworth

would

@UKLabour

reconsider role of #DB pensions? My #LGPS is now 123% funded. Lots of colleagues here in Private DB have had their funds closed unnecessary. Also, do you share concerns about employers breaking #tupe & #pension promises?

He asked for clarification & yes to concern about employers breaking pension promises

Panel on Extending working lives. #TUCpension23 being addressed by

@unisontheunion

National Officer Teresa Donegan on #unisoncollage & member learning.

Final Panel: Big ideas to fix the pension system Chair by former Labour pension minister

@greggmcclymont

now with trade union owned

@IFM_Investors

Gregg McClymont

@greggmcclymont

·

Mar 1

Replying to

@grayee

and

@IFM_Investors

The ideas - state annuity, state pension as property right, public asset manager - certainly lived up to the ‘think big ideas’ challenge

Since this was the TUC, of course, the event had to finish with some "beer and sandwiches" (well, crisps and nuts). At which I was given a great compliment by the legendly pension figure, Con Keating "I see you are still causing trouble John".

#TUC13 Congress Fringe "Whole person care - a future for health & social care?

This fringe took place on Monday evening. TUC Assistant General Secretary Paul Nowak chaired. 

Andy Burham MP was running a little late, so UNISON AGS (and former nurse) Karen Jenning started the event.

She said that the problems between Health and Social Care has been going on for decades. She used as an example the age old dispute of who pays for a health or a social services bath for a client.

If the NHS recommend this then it is free, if  it is social services, then this same bath could be means tested!

While she is explaining this, Andy Burnham comes into the meeting. Karen apologies for starting without him and he says "just carry on". Karen says that is okay since, I have just been very horrible about you! (joke)

Andy spoke about the 2009-2012 - 66% rise in the very elderly A&E admittance via ambulance. Hospitals are becoming warehouses for old people. We need instead to invest in preventive care to also save money.  

The Tories are running down the NHS. According to them "GPs are to blame for A&E waits" while all nurses are "uncaring" and hospitals are just "coasting".

The press and Tories criticised the last Labour Government proposal on this issue as the "death tax".  Yet we now have already the dementia tax,  Which is surely worse? Andy also reaffirmed his pledge to abolish the Tory Health and Social Care Bill and that the NHS will be the preferred provider in any future Labour NHS reforms.

Andy made it clear that markets are not the answer in health and social care. The UK is one of the few countries to spend under 10% of GDP on health care because it has such an efficient national service. 

Justin Bowen from the GMB  (another former Tower Hamlets bod) said that Andy's comments was music to his ears. The problem however is money. Health and social care reforms will not be totally cost neutral. It will cost more. The crisis in social care now is all about money.

Andy countered by saying that there will be huge savings by bring together health and social care but also provided people knew what they would get, they would be willing to pay more for quality services.  

My question to Andy and the panel was about the present decimation of wages in the social care sector (I mentioned the disgrace at the "charity" Future Directions which he was well aware of)  and what are we going to do about future pay in the voluntary care sector?  Much of which is minimum wage.

I think it is fair to say that Andy was very supportive about the need to have decent pay in our sector but he and Labour are not yet in power.  So, roll on 2015.