‘Powerful agents of change’

In the historic 150th anniversary year of the Trades’ Union Congress (TUC) delegates the UK’s trade unions gathered from today (September 9) in Manchester – where the TUC first met – for this year’s annual TUC conference.

The theme of the conference is Changing the world for good – and the TUC is calling for new technology to pave the way to a shorter working week and higher pay.

It believes the key risk to workers is that the benefits of this new technology are being hoarded by bosses and shareholders – and that it must be shared with workers through higher pay and reduced hours.

In her opening speech this year’s TUC president Sally Hunt played tribute to the 150 years’ of trade union heroes – hailing members past and present as “powerful agents of change.” She spoke of strikes and struggles including the Peterloo Massacre, the Tolpuddle Martyrs, the match girls’ strike, the 1926 General Strike, equal pay at Ford in 1968, the miners’ strikes of 1972 and 1984/5 to the public sector and NHS strikes and all the strikes of recent times. Many mentioned were from Unite heritage unions.

She said, “So when we look at the challenge we have, which are many – casualisation, Brexit, the intolerance which is raising it’s head – all coming at us, saying you are worth less, you must work harder, you must be less secure.

“None of that is new and none of that is stuff we cannot deal with. We have done it throughout our history and we will do it now. Ordinary people like you and me and all those we represent.”

Unite will be fielding a wide range of speakers and will be speaking on Brexit, industrial strategy, Carillion, Grenfell, the rise of the extreme right wing, fighting insecure work, the hospitality industry, energy workers, public sector, Windrush generation – among many others.

Stay tuned to UNITElive.org for the latest developments from the 150th TUC.