{"id":29966,"date":"2021-09-13T16:18:06","date_gmt":"2021-09-13T15:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=29966"},"modified":"2021-09-13T17:19:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-13T16:19:00","slug":"tuc-congress-highlights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=29966","title":{"rendered":"TUC Congress highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On the second day of TUC Congress on Monday (September 13), Unite delegates moved and supported a series of motions on a variety of pressing industrial issues. Here are some of today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s highlights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defending disabled workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 rights.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unite delegate Dave Allan <\/strong>moved a TUC Disabled Workers Conference motion, in which he highlighted the struggles disabled workers have faced throughout the pandemic and well before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bSociety has changed beyond all recognition [since the pandemic began],\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Allan noted, highlighting how so many of us have lost friends, family and colleagues to coronavirus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted how the pandemic has had a massive impact on disabled people \u00e2\u20ac\u201c more than 6 in 10 people who died after contracting coronavirus were disabled. What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s more, an untold number of non-disabled people have since become disabled after suffering now from long Covid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He went on to explain how the home working revolution precipitated by the pandemic has presented many opportunities for disabled people, many of whom were told that the reasonable adjustment of working from home was not possible pre-pandemic. The huge shift to home working has shown that it can be a reality.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allan acknowledged that home working does not work for everyone, and has left many feeling isolated. He called on home working to be \u00e2\u20ac\u015ba workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 request and not an employer\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s demand.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reminding conference how successive Tory governments have failed disabled workers, he said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe know we must carry on fighting.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fire and rehire<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unite delegate and young member Alex Graham<\/strong> spoke in support of a motion on fire and rehire. He highlighted the importance of Labour MP Barry Gardiner\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s private members\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 bill which aims to make illegal the pernicious employment practice that has become commonplace since the pandemic began. \u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhen the Bill was first presented we pointed out that fire and rehire is a practice that is outlawed in much of Europe. And it should be outlawed here too,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Graham said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe also pointed out that even Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the House of Commons, called fire and rehire ‘wrong’ and a ‘bad practice’, saying that companies should know \u00e2\u20ac\u0098better\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, he continued. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAnd whilst we won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stop fighting for a change in the law to protect working people from this attack, we also know that we need to fight back in the workplace.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graham went on to highlight the victory at Go North West, which was one of Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s longest-running strikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bFollowing a strike lasting 82 days, the company agreed to Unite’s demand not to use fire and rehire in any form, and the pay and conditions of thousands of employees were protected,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calling on support for the motion, he said Unite wholeheartedly backs a campaign \u00e2\u20ac\u015bto outlaw fire and rehire, to raise public awareness, and to educate trade unionists on what can be done to fight against it.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Structural and systemic racism<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unite delegate Susan Matthews <\/strong>moved a motion on structural and systemic racism on behalf of the TUC Black Workers Conference. In her impassioned speech, she highlighted how the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the structural racism that is at the heart of so many of our institutions, in the same way that the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in America sparked a global movement that highlighted the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bInternational systemic racism practices are happening right across the globe,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bYou only have to look at the disproportionate number of BAEM people who have died over the course of the pandemic.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthews went on to highlight that systemic and structural racism takes on various different forms in every one of our institutions, including in housing, education, health systems and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calling for support of the motion, Matthews said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe call for no more convenient action; we call for proactive action. We must look to make sure we combat racism,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 adding that equality and diversity objectives must be at the very top of the trade union movement agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Covid-19 equality impact assessments<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unite delegate Jane Stewart<\/strong> moved a motion on equality impact assessments as she highlighted the disproportionate impact that pandemic has had on women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She pointed to the fact that women have already borne the brunt of austerity, and now during the pandemic they have had to juggle work, often multiple jobs, while also contending with child care, home schooling, and elderly care. Domestic violence has also skyrocketed during the pandemic, she noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She slammed the government for its failure to undertake equality impact assessments in their Covid-19 guidance. She said the 2020 budget failed to mention childcare at a time when the sector has been decimated. Meanwhile, domestic abuse charities are struggling to provide services so desperately needed. Cuts to Universal Credit and the National Insurance tax hike will also disproportionately impact women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWomen have always had to juggle competing demands but the Covid [pandemic] has exacerbated and shone a spotlight on it,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calling for support of the motion, Stewart noted that equality impact assessments which identify the disproportionate impact on women and other equality groups must be made mandatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe need action not words on equality – no more empty slogans,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Stewart said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe need an industrial strategy that puts women first.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police and crime bill<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unite delegate Taj Salam<\/strong> moved a composite which highlighted Tory attacks on workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 rights, and focused especially on the police and crime bill as well as the covert human intelligence sources bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 seeks to neuter and silence protest,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Salam said. The \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 gives open licence to \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Spycops\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 to infiltrate \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and even commit criminal acts \u00e2\u20ac\u201c within our movements.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salam added that \u00e2\u20ac\u015bthese draconian acts seek to criminalise all those deemed ‘intentionally causing nuisance’ in the pursuit of justice and change. In doing so it casts its dragnet wide\u00e2\u20ac\u0165.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt targets environmental activists,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he went on to say. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt targets Black Lives Matter. It targets Gypsy, Romani and Traveller communities. And Congress, it directly targets us as trade unionists. Be in no doubt that our unions sit firmly in the sights of this legislation.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salam highlighted how the government has sought to silence workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 voices during the pandemic, when police threatened workers at the disputes at SAICA Packaging in Edinburgh and Optare bus builders in Yorkshire with penalty notices and fines to break up picket lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salam noted that it was vital for trade union members to fight back against Tory attacks on people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s rights and civil liberties by any means necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Urging support for the composite, Salam said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThey can pass whatever laws they wish, but they will be rendered little more than scraps of paper in their inability to stop us defending our members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bLet us remember now that a historic task of our movement is \u00e2\u20ac\u201c to quote the Tolpuddle Martyrs \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u0098to raise the watchword: liberty,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fighting back against the international far right for LGBT+ equality<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unite delegate Phil Jones<\/strong> seconded a motion on LGBT+ equality and international solidarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jones highlighted the violation of LGBT+ human rights across the world, including in European countries such as Hungary and Poland, as well as in Russia, various Commonwealth countries and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But he noted that far-right, homophobic agendas are present and growing everywhere, including in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bFar right political parties and groups are trying to gain a foothold in our communities,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThey are using people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s unhappiness at the inadequacies of this Tory government to try to divide our communities and set neighbour against neighbour.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bUnite, like many other trade unions, has a long and proud history of fighting against those who would seek to divide us — because we all know that when the far-right is allowed to gain a foothold they attack not just one marginalised area of society they attack all marginalised people including LGBT+ people, women, the BAEM communities and the disabled,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlighting Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Unity Over Division campaign which equips officers and reps with counter-arguments to challenge the far right\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s narrative, he called on delegates to support the motion to set up a \u00e2\u20ac\u015bsimilar campaign in partnership with all of its affiliates to highlight how LGBT+ workers and allies can support our LGBT+ comrades throughout the world\u00e2\u20ac\u0165.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You watch TUC Congress 2021 live online here<\/a>. And don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t forget to tune into UniteLive for all the latest updates on Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Hajera Blagg<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On the second day of TUC Congress on Monday (September 13), Unite delegates moved and supported a series of motions on a variety of pressing industrial issues. Here are some of today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s highlights. Defending disabled workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 rights. Unite delegate Dave Allan moved a TUC Disabled Workers Conference motion, in which he highlighted the struggles disabled […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":29973,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1717],"tags":[1718],"wps_subtitle":"Monday's highlights from Unite speakers","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29966"}],"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=29966"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29966\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29980,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29966\/revisions\/29980"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}