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Trades councils on the front line

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If trades councils didn’t exist, given the challenges facing the trade union movement today, we would need to invent them.

Once upon a time, I was a trades council activist. I didn’t realise it at the time, but the meetings were extraordinary. There were often more than 20 delegates present, with hundreds of years of experience between them, and a tsunami of opinions. But Citrine ruled OK! It was a phenomenal education for a newbie activist.  

Fast-forward thirty years and it is clear to me that the work of trades councils is often not fully valued, and in truth, the role of trades councils is seldom really understood. If our movement is a family, then trades councils are sometimes treated like an embarrassing and elderly relative. 

A trades council is a cluster of trade unionists who live in the same place, and much more.

Trade union members are formally sent as delegates to a trades council by their trade union branch, and they meet and act under some model rules that are set by the TUC. 

Arguably, trades councils are the trade union movement at the local level. At their best, trades councils promote working-class solidarity, promote trade unionism as a powerful force for good and seek to influence the local political agenda by campaigning. They help to build stronger local communities, and forge links with, and between, trade union branches.

At TUC London, East and South East we have more than 50 trades councils registered with the national TUC in our region, which we are proud of. We have just had a briefing with, and for, trades councils, with 60 colleagues contributing. Two common themes were that trades council activists are doggedly determined, and they will plough on, but that most trades councils are desperately short of resources. The familiar refrain about lack of delegates from unions resonated in our ears throughout the meeting. 

First hand evidence of what trades councils at their best can do 

Examine their role in the stunningly successful campaign to stop the closure of 1,000 railway ticket offices, helping to force a massive U-turn by the Conservative government, in 2023. TUC LESE president and RMT regional organiser, Kathy Mazur, has said ‘trades councils did amazing work in this campaign’. The TUC ran a ‘We Demand Better’ campaign throughout 2022, and we organised some great events, but the plain truth is that we depended on trade councils to adopt the campaign theme and organise local meetings, using our branding. And we will need local trades councils again if we need to campaign to defend Post Office services from sweeping cuts.  

Organising against the far-right at a local level 

This summer, we had a moment when the far-right threatened havoc and violence across our communities. At the core of the TUC’s response was to urge the building of broad and strong community alliances. Progressive and outward looking coalitions can build understanding, links and robust communities before the far-right comes knocking. And if the far-right does attempt to organise an event locally, it is much better if there is already a coalition that can respond robustly and in an organised way – with the trade union movement at its core. 

At our briefing for, and with, trades councils, Steve Gillan, general secretary, POA said “We need a trades council in every community more than ever. We have to organise to win!” Kudsia Batool, Director of Equalities, TUC said “trades councils are the backbone, in communities, of our fight against division and hate. Neighbour pitched against neighbour, community against community, activists against activist. It is our job to expose wedge politics as bogus.” 

Keep on keeping on, but let’s do it better 

No-one ever said being a trade unionist is easy. And trades council activists know that their local struggle can sometimes feel like a lonely one. That struggle goes on. It is important that they keep going, keep organising, keep campaigning, and most importantly, that trades councils reach outwards. 

The labour movement desperately needs effective trades councils, and trades councils desperately need stronger relationships with unions, and more activists. 

Action points 

More about trades councils and find your local trades council 

If you are a trades council officer, please remember that the deadline for registration of trades councils, and ‘associations of trades councils’, for 2025 is 31 January. A trades council that was not registered in 2024 should complete this registration form

Email us at lese@tuc.org.uk to join our trades councils mailing list. 

Subscribe to TUC LESE’s weekly email Newsletter. 

Look out for our follow-up blog in which we will look at how TUC LESE can seek to strengthen union’s support for trades councils, and how trades councils can innovate.  

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