{"id":15493,"date":"2018-07-02T17:49:40","date_gmt":"2018-07-02T16:49:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=15493"},"modified":"2020-11-12T12:58:40","modified_gmt":"2020-11-12T12:58:40","slug":"tuc-gs-frances-ogrady-unite-policy-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=15493","title":{"rendered":"\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Harry Kane of the TUC\u00e2\u20ac\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"
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TUC general secretary Frances O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Grady hailed Unite in a speech today (July 2) on the first day of Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s policy conference and urged Unite, as the largest private sector union, to \u00e2\u20ac\u015blead from the front\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 in offering working people hope.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She paid tribute to Unite members now fighting for justice \u00e2\u20ac\u201d from Serco workers at Barts Hospital Trust fighting for pay parity; to low-paid workers at Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza, cheated out of a Living Wage; to \u00e2\u20ac\u015binspirational strikers at TGI Fridays who, like their friends at McDonald’s, have given us all hope and courage.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Branding Unite general secretary Len McCluskey the \u00e2\u20ac\u015bHarry Kane of the TUC\u00e2\u20ac\u0165, O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Grady highlighted Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s recent victories.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Victories<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bYou led the campaign against US tariffs on Bombardier that would have cost thousands of good, skilled, unionised jobs in aerospace. And you won,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bYou campaigned for agency workers to be put onto permanent contracts at Pirelli tyres. And you won. And on the world stage, you fought for union recognition at Ryanair. And, delegates, you smashed it.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She praised the NHS, which she called \u00e2\u20ac\u015bBritain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s greatest socialist achievement\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 and the work of its staff on the eve of the health service\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 70th birthday this week (July 5) as she recounted attending last weekend\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s NHS march.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI had the privilege to march with striking porters and cleaners from Wigan,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bFighting those who aim to dismantle public ownership of the NHS, piece by piece. Determined to defend our NHS.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She highlighted that the march was the result of community organising through the People\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Assembly, a brainchild of Unite, and likewise praised the Unite-led community work in support of Grenfell survivors.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brexit threat<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Turning to Brexit, O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Grady warned of the grave dangers to members\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 jobs a hard Brexit would pose as she denounced the government and its shambolic mishandling of Brexit negotiations.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf anyone thinks that the warnings from the likes of Airbus, BMW and Nissan are just more project fear, take a long hard look at the investment figures,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bInvestment in the car industry alone has been slashed by half. And we know what that means for the future.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She called for working people to have a voice in any final Brexit deal \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but she went on to say that \u00e2\u20ac\u015bwhatever happens with Brexit, and whichever way people voted in that divisive referendum, the whole TUC is united in our determination to fight for a fairer, more equal Britain, a more equal Europe and a more equal world.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She added that this aim \u00e2\u20ac\u015bmust mean a new role for public ownership\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 as she branded the outsourcing model undertaken by failed private firms such as Carillion, Virgin Trains East Coast and Capita as \u00e2\u20ac\u015brotten to the core.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Far-right rise<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Grady likewise denounced tech giants such as Facebook, Google and others for \u00e2\u20ac\u015bdodging taxes owed to society\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 and the role they played in handing over personal data \u00e2\u20ac\u015bto be used on an industrial scale by the alt-right.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Progressives must understand that the conditions giving rise to the far right are here, O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Grady argued, pointing to \u00e2\u20ac\u015bstagnating living standards, scapegoating of migrants, rising racism, anti-semitism and contempt for women; and a surge in right-wing nationalism.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The only way to defeat the emboldened far right is to \u00e2\u20ac\u015btackle people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s root fears and insecurities – and give everyone the dignity of a decent job in the parts of Britain that need them most.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She called also for genuinely affordable homes and proper funding for public services as well as \u00e2\u20ac\u015bfair wages for the dedicated people who provide them.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She urged trade unionists to fight for a Labour government in power but, she said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bwe can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t wait for it.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Instead of waiting for a change to the law, for example, she urged the trade union movement to use its collective bargaining clout, and \u00e2\u20ac\u015bwith one united charge ban zero hours from our workplaces, once and for all.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

‘Combine our power’<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Unite should take the lead in Britain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s progressive movement but she said unions across the board must step up, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bcombine our power and coordinate our demands much more systematically.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Grady reminded delegates that now is a \u00e2\u20ac\u015bcritical time\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 for the trade union movement.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut I believe that together we can face the future with confidence\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 in delivering \u00e2\u20ac\u015bhope for all working people,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she concluded to rousing applause. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bFor dignity, for equality, and for justice.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

TUC general secretary Frances O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Grady hailed Unite in a speech today (July 2) on the first day of Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s policy conference and urged Unite, as the largest private sector union, to \u00e2\u20ac\u015blead from the front\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 in offering working people hope.   She paid tribute to Unite members now fighting for justice \u00e2\u20ac\u201d from Serco workers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15495,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[950,957],"wps_subtitle":"TUC GS Frances O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Grady praises Unite and its leader\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15493"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15493"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15493\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26096,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15493\/revisions\/26096"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}