Vital matters to debate at the Congress

Sep 14 2009 by Kevin Rowan, The Journal

TODAY sees the start of the 141st Annual Trade Union Congress, in Liverpool as it happens.

This gathering of trade union leaders from throughout the UK provides an opportunity to discuss and debate some of the critical issues of the day affecting working people, much on the economy and employment, a good deal of politics too and a significant element of self-assessment.

These are all important areas of debate. There remains much to be done to improve the lot of workers in the UK; compared to other parts of Europe we remain relatively low paid, work long hours, endure poor job satisfaction and are made more ill or more frequently injured through work than our continental cousins.

The economic challenges we face collectively and individually are apparent for all to see, how we can accelerate the economy into recovery and enable a growing number of unemployed and economically excluded workers to access a bright new, prosperous economic future should be near the top of our agenda.

Politically we are also at an interesting point in the cycle, trade unions affiliated to the Labour Party suggesting more to be done with the current government and lots of hope for a recovery in the polls for the beleaguered Brown team. Other trade unions with a more left-wing political outlook seeing this as the time to think about developing ‘alternatives’ to the enduring relationship with Labour.

The TUC doesn’t affiliate politically to any party and will continue to represent the views of working people, whichever party is in government.

The annual Congress today is a further demonstration of the enduring power of trade unions. It is the fact that around one in three workers pay every week to be a member of a trade union, four out of 10 in the North East and six out of 10 in the public sector.

This does convey a very strong legitimacy and credibility in claims to be the voice of working people that no other organisation can claim and no agency or government should ignore.

These membership levels also prove a solid reminder to trade unions and the TUC that there are large numbers of workers who, for a variety of reasons, do not enjoy the benefits of trade union membership and enabling them so to do will be the major focus of our debates.

There is clearly a communications issue for the trade union movement to address, because most people simply do not know about the advantages. But they do, so if you’re reading this and you’re not in a trade union, now would be a good time to join one.

Kevin Rowan is regional secretary, Northern TUC