‘Together we are stronger’

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady addressed Congress yesterday (September 14) as she laid out the scale of the challenges working people face.

 
Welcoming the new Labour leadership, she called on the party of working people to “look sharp; pull together; and do what working people are crying out for her Majesty’s Opposition to do – get stuck in and oppose.

 
“Show the grit, discipline and determination needed to win back economic trust, win back political power, and change Britain for the better,” she added.

 
O’Grady pointed to the diverse crowd filling the hall in Brighton, paying tribute to the workers – NHS staff, educators, manufacturers, construction workers and more – “whose labour creates the wealth on which Britain’s future depends.”

 
“The slogan for this TUC congress is great jobs for everyone,” O’Grady noted. “That means fair pay. Secure contracts. Time to spend with your family. A voice at work and respect for a job well done.”

 
But she added that the challenge for today’s trade unionists goes beyond fighting for a fair share of the wealth they create:

 
“Building a sustainable recovery. Raising investment and productivity,” she said. “Yes, and raising wages and living standards too.

 
“We want a practical plan to deliver fair shares and greener growth for all.”

 
O’Grady condemned growth-choking austerity and the trade union bill – the twin evils that prove the present Tory government has no interest in supporting working people.

 
“The Conservative Party no longer represents the interests of industry in general,” she said. “Its main purpose is to serve just one – global finance. It’s become the political wing of the City of London.

 
“Money – and only money – talks in today’s Conservative Party. The national interest trumped by vested interests. The common good sold for a quick buck.”

 
But O’Grady asserted that the government has “woefully miscalculated the resilience of working people and their unions” in our collective bid to fight the trade union bill.

 
“Let me make it clear,” she said, “and let’s send a message from this hall – with every ounce of our strength, we will oppose this trade union bill.”

 
“We say to every worker worried about their future; everyone who wants not just a job but a career; everyone who wants enough time to spend with the people they love; and a decent home to live in – join us,” O’Grady concluded.

 
“Join a union. Be part of our movement. Because together, we are stronger.”

 
Listen to Frances O’Grady’s full speech in the video below: