Sunday marks the annual gathering of British trade unions in Brighton, where they will be pressing the incoming Labour government to address public services and enhance working conditions.
The conference, which runs through Wednesday, is being held by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), an organization that represents a sizable portion of trade unions in England and Wales.
This is the first TUC conference held during a Labour government in fifteen years. It’s significant,” a TUC spokesman informed AFP.
After 14 years of turmoil, “we are ready to work with this government,” the spokesman continued.
Trade union outfits have long been an ally of the Labour Party and provide a significant portion of the party’s funding.
Tuesday’s meeting is scheduled to feature a government speaker; rumors of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s appearance have surfaced, albeit they are not verified.
The TUC is requesting a “long-term plan to fix public services” from the incoming administration. These services are having trouble hiring and retaining employees because pay has not kept up with the demands of an increasingly demanding workload.
After 14 years of Conservative government, the Labour Party came to office promising above-inflation wage increases for frontline services, from health to rail, many of which had experienced a string of strikes in recent years.
The TUC describes this as a “crucial first step”.
The TUC, however, believes that the government ought to go one step further and provide civil personnel with full compensation for the 14 years that their purchasing power has decreased.
Trade unions may exert pressure on the center-left Labour party, even as newly appointed chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves pledges “iron discipline” over public finances.
The Labour party included plans to outlaw “fire and rehire” practises, in which employers fire employees only to rehire them on worse terms, and zero-hours contracts, which leave employees without a set minimum number of hours to work, in their election manifesto.
According to TUC secretary general Paul Nowak, the government’s proposals are “good for workers and employers” on X.
He warned that “if you’ve built your business model on low-paid, insecure employment, you will need to change”.
