date: 29 August 2008
embargo: operational note - not for publication or broadcast
140th Trades Union Congress in Brighton
All applications for media passes must be received no later than noon on Tuesday 2 September. Any applications received after this date will be processed in Brighton and subject to a £50 administration fee. The form for media credentials, plus information on how to book wireless internet access and a phone line at the Brighton Centre can be accessed at www.tuc.org.uk/mediacredentials
Over seven hundred trade union members will be heading to Sussex at the beginning of next month to take part in the 140th annual Congress which opens for business on Monday 8 September.
Over the four days delegates in the Brighton Centre will hear speeches from several senior government ministers as well as from the leaders of the trade union movement. From Monday to Thursday, trade union members will be listening to and taking part in debates on topics ranging from better pay for public sector workers, the economy, employment rights, maternity pay, a fair tax system, and increased funding for the nation's film archives. The final agenda containing the 87 motions for the 2008 Congress is available at http://www.tuc.org.uk/congress/tuc-15221-f0.cfm
Between now and Congress, the TUC press office will be releasing a number of stories of relevance to the world of work, including:
Monday 1 September
'What workers want: An agenda from the workplace, for the workplace' - the TUC publishes the results of a YouGov poll of 2,500 people at work.
Tuesday 2 September
'Pensionswatch' - the sixth annual survey from the TUC which analyses the pensions of almost 350 directors from the UK's 102 top companies.
Wednesday 3 September
The London 2012 Organising Committee, the Olympic Delivery Authority and the TUC publish a set of principles of co-operation covering all unions involved in London 2012.
Thursday 4 September
The TUC and unionlearn, its learning and skills organisation, publish the results of a poll looking at support for a new right to request time off for training, a recent Government proposal that is currently being consulted on.
Sunday 7 September
The TUC publishes 'Do the super-rich matter?' the fourth title in its Touchstone series of pamphlets which assesses just how rich the super-rich have become and looks at the damage they are doing to the wider economy.
11.30am - pre-Congress photo opportunity with TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber on Brighton sea front, details to be confirmed.
Noon - traditional pre-Congress press conference with Brendan Barber in the Pavilion at the Grand Hotel.
From 12.45pm - union press conferences take place in the media area in the Brighton Centre.
Monday 8 September
10am Brendan Barber's speech to Congress
Public sector pay
Address from TUC President Dave Prentis
2.15pm Employment and equality debates
Tuesday 9 September
9.30am Arlene Holt Baker, AFL-CIO Executive Vice President
Public services, education and skills debates
John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
2.15pm Economic and vulnerable workers debates
Alistair Darling MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer
Wednesday 10 September
9.30am Dianne Hayter, Labour Party delegate
Equal rights debate
Presentation of awards to union lay reps by Harriet Harman MP
Harriet Harman MP, Minister for Women and Deputy Leader of the
Labour Party
Organising debate
2.15pm Tarsicio Mora Godoy, President of the CUT, the Colombian trade
union centre
International, European and transport debates
Thursday 11 September
9.30am Employment rights and health and safety debates
pm Any remaining business and the final vote of thanks from the media given by Geoffrey Goodman, ex-industrial editor of the Daily Mirror
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- The TUC press office will be operational in Brighton from the Saturday afternoon. In addition to contacting the press officers on their mobiles, the TUC press team can also be contacted on 01273 206114 or 01273 227044. The press office fax in Brighton will be 01273 732829.
- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
- Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet
Contacts:
Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk
Press release (800 words) issued 29 Aug 2008