2026 Congress Awards winners

Gerard Kelly

Organising Award - USDAW

Last year, Gerard’s site underwent a TUPE transfer from an employer which Usdaw had spent a number of years building a relationship with, to an employer that had historically been significantly anti-union. Gerard’s previous work organising the workplace, building effective union structures and developing strong working relationships with management meant that, as soon as the proposed TUPE transfer was announced, Usdaw was already in a strong position.

From the moment the information on the transfer became available, Gerard set up communication structures, including ensuring that up-to-date information was always available on site noticeboards and arranging surgery type sessions at the start and end of shifts. Following significant and protracted discussions, Gerard secured a commitment from the new employer to continue to positively engage with Usdaw. Thanks to his hard work, he has maintained membership density at the site at over 75% and truly shown the membership the benefits of a trade union in the workplace and the power of collective strength.

Lynn Henderson

Youth Award - Musicians' Union

Lynn is an active and committed trade unionist. Her activism has spanned across three of the National Departments of the Musicians’ Union. Her commitment and passion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion has run as a theme throughout her activism and she has helped improve conditions for, and treatment of, musicians across the UK.

As Steward of Sinfonia Cymru, Lynn has increased membership in this freelance ensemble with a focus on early career musicians. Through collective bargaining she has helped secure key EDI considerations and concessions into the agreement. Lynn has also worked with officials to pull members together to bring Employment Tribunal claims, supporting 17 members who recovered around £47,000. She has been an active part of working groups to update and improve the agreement with the Association of British Orchestras and has attended ABO conference to represent musicians at a meeting of management.

Trevor Harris

Safety Reps Award - PCS

Trevor Harris deserves this award for his outstanding leadership, courage, and impact in improving workplace safety while rebuilding trust in union representation. His determination has delivered real change. Despite resistance, he successfully overturned a discriminatory policy that excluded disabled members from operational roles, restoring fairness and opportunity. Following a near-fatal incident, his investigation exposed serious failures in PPE and management oversight, protecting members from unjust blame and enabling action against employer negligence.

Trevor’s efforts have helped drive membership up from 311 when he joined to over 800 members today. Across multiple sites, his inspections and interventions have strengthened controls around issues such as PPE, Legionella, and workplace stress, reducing risk and improving compliance with health and safety requirements. Through delivering safer workplaces, fairer outcomes, and stronger union organisation, Trevor exemplifies the very best of trade union values.

Wendy Aitman

Union Learning Rep

Wendy is not simply a stand-out Union Learning Rep for a one-off event or moment, but a consistently dedicated one both to the members in her workplace and branch and to the learning cause more generally. She successfully helped to implement a learning agreement in her workplace that is reviewed yearly, and has successfully negotiated a rise in learning hours this last year to 16 hours for full-time staff and pro rata for part-time staff.

She has also successfully set up a branch learning fund to help members in these times of austerity to access learning where costs are such a big barrier. Every member who has applied for this has been awarded some money towards their learning. Wendy regularly organises sessions for members on topics including neurodiversity awareness, time management and diabetes awareness, and continues to be a voice of encouragement and support for newer ULRs across the union.

Jane Stewart

Women's Gold Badge - Unite

Jane is a truly outstanding trade unionist whose lifelong commitment to equality, justice, workplace organisation and collective action makes her an exceptionally deserving recipient of the Congress Award. Throughout her career, Jane has demonstrated unwavering dedication to improving the lives of working people, particularly women, both within Unite and across the wider trade union movement.

Jane has played a leading role in developing collective bargaining approaches to women’s equality in manufacturing and negotiated a groundbreaking occupational maternity leave and pay policy at Unilever. She has also secured practical improvements for women working in manufacturing by campaigning for sanitary facilities and products to be provided within factory welfare areas, and successfully campaigned for gender-sensitive personal protective equipment and workplace risk assessments that properly considered women’s health and safety requirements.

Jane has also been a passionate advocate for apprentices and young workers, worked to challenge occupational segregation, and negotiated workplace policies and procedures to address sexual harassment, domestic abuse and violence against women and girls. Through mentoring, organising and campaigning, she has encouraged women to become workplace representatives, branch officers, councillors and parliamentary candidates.