From Uber to Sports direct

The fight to defend the UK’s industrial economy will be spearheaded by Unite at the Trades Union Congress when it gathers in Brighton from September 11 to 14.

Taking part in key Congress debates on the European Union, the Conservatives’ regressive Trade Union Act and the need for urgent support for the steel industry, Unite will be issuing a warning to employers and to government that they must not use the Brexit vote to roll back the rights and living standards of the country’s workers.

The union will also lead the calls for a full debate on the introduction of a universal basic income as a means to address growing poverty among people in work caused by the fall in the real value of wages, attacks on in-work benefits, the growth of insecure work and the looming prospect of millions of present-day jobs disappearing through digitalisation.

On the Congress Fringe, Unite will be continuing the campaign for decent work and justice for workers at Sports Direct with a joint fringe with the GMB at 12:45pm, Monday, September 12, Regency Suite, Hilton Brighton Metropole, Kings Road BN1 2FU.

Titled From Uber to Sports Direct – How trade unions can win the fight for decent work all, speakers include: Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner;  GMB national secretary Justin Bowden; Daily Mirror Real Britain columnist Ross Wynne Jones ; Sophie Shaw of the Unite hotel workers branch; and shadow minister for trade unions and civil society Ian Lavery MP.

Stay tuned on UNITElive from Sunday (September 11) for our full coverage of the Trades Union Congress.