General Council Report 2024
Introduction - Paul Nowak
Welcome to the 156th TUC Congress in Brighton.
As always, Congress is a chance for unions to come together, celebrate our achievements and democratically decide our priorities for the future. With 48 affiliates representing over five million members in every walk of working life, it’s a chance for working people across the country to make our collective voice heard.
And this year, we meet with genuine optimism. The election of a Labour government in July offers real hope to trade unions and working people. After 14 years of Conservative rule, we have a chance to rebuild Britain and shape a fairer, greener, more equal future.
At the heart of Labour’s agenda is its New Deal for working people – a plan to make work pay. This will deliver the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation, tackling the zero- hours contracts, fire and rehire and low pay that blight the lives of millions of workers.
At the heart of Labour’s agenda is its New Deal for working people – a plan to make work pay. This will deliver the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation, tackling the zero-hours contracts, fire and rehire and low pay that blight the lives of millions of workers.
Crucially, the New Deal will also level the playing field for unions. We can now look forward to new rights to access workplaces, both physically and digitally, turbocharging our organising efforts. We will also benefit from streamlined
recognition processes, boosting campaigns at the likes of Amazon. And we will see the repeal of the anti-trade union legislation, from the Trade Union Act to the unworkable, undemocratic minimum service levels introduced in last year’s Strikes Act.
Whereas the Tories attacked unions – and workers’ fundamental right to strike – Labour will work with us to tackle inequality, fight discrimination and rebuild our shattered public services. This political change is hugely welcome – and it presents real opportunities for our movement to grow. When Congress met in Liverpool last year, our focus was on defeating minimum service levels: this year, the Act that delivered them looks set to be removed from the statute book.
The past year has been another momentous period for us. Hundreds of thousands of workers have taken strike action for a fair deal right across the economy, with unions winning scores of industrial victories. In a year when we marked the 40th anniversaries of the miners’ strike and GCHQ, the TUC has been proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with all
workers and unions involved in industrial action.
As unions have stood up and won for workers, we have recorded a welcome rise in our net membership of 90,000. But there can be no room for complacency. Our membership is ageing and we’re not organising enough young workers. Union density in the private sector, where most people work, has been sliding for years. And we’re still not as diverse as the workers we represent – and aspire to represent.
That’s why we need to become a movement of all, and for all: women and men, Black and white, young and old, LGBT+ and non-LGBT+, disabled and non-disabled. We are on track to achieve the target of training 500 new Black reps and activists we set out last year – but more needs to be done. I am determined that we hardwire equality into every aspect of our organising, bargaining and campaigning work. And we must tackle the scourge of sexual harassment in our workplaces – and that includes within our own movement.
If we are to rebuild our collective strength, we must recruit workers right across the economy – private as well as public, services as well as manufacturing, rural as well as urban. With Labour in power, there should be no no-go zones for our movement.
If we are to rebuild our collective strength, we must recruit workers right across the economy – private as well as public, services as well as manufacturing, rural as well as urban. With Labour in power, there should be no no-go zones for our movement.
Unions must also adapt to a fast-evolving economy. Technological change and artificial intelligence are transforming whole industries and the jobs we do. Climate change and the transition to net zero are already reshaping key sectors such as transport, energy and manufacturing. And the explosive growth of insecure working makes it harder for us to organise the workers most in need of collective representation and a collective voice.
But we should face the future with confidence. Throughout our history, we’ve shown the value of workers joining together, organising together and fighting together. Times may change, the world of work may change, the economy may change, but the fundamental need for strong unions backed by strong collective bargaining rights remains. Unity really is strength.
In this country and around the world, working people share the same aspirations for decent jobs, fair pay, a voice at work, strong rights, good public services and affordable housing.
Our movement has always been proudly internationalist, and our 2024 Congress takes place against the backdrop of conflict, division and uncertainty across the world. Earlier this year, I visited Ukraine, where I saw the terrible realities facing its workers: surgeons working through air raids, rail workers striving to keep trains running, power workers under rocket attack. Those workers need our support and solidarity, alongside stronger rights, better wages and funds for economic reconstruction.
As I write, we also have wars in Yemen, Sudan and elsewhere, alongside the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. What we have seen there is appalling, with indiscriminate bombing, children starving, and civilians targeted. In April, the headquarters of our sister trade union centre the PGFTU was bombed by the IDF. As well as being a trade union building, it was also a bakery and a nursery for 380 children.
Throughout the conflict, the TUC has supported the calls of the global trade union movement. We have demanded the return of all hostages, an immediate ceasefire and respect for international law. Above all, we have said the only route to peace lies in a two-state solution built on a safe and secure Israel, and a safe, secure and free Palestine.
Our movement must also work internationally to address the far-right threat. Russia, China and other countries already have authoritarian governments. Italy and Hungary have far-right leaders, with the nationalist right prospering elsewhere in Europe. And in America, convicted criminal Donald Trump is the Republican Party’s candidate in November’s presidential election.
Despite all these challenges, I remain optimistic about the future. The election of a Labour government here in the UK shows that progressive change is possible – with the electorate emphatically rejecting the Tories’ culture wars and politics of division. In this country and around the world, working people share the same aspirations for decent jobs, fair pay, a voice at work, strong rights, good public services and affordable housing.
That's why the TUC will keep banging the drum for an economy that rewards work not wealth. With Labour in power and that New Deal on the horizon, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to go for growth and win fairness for working people. Let's take that chance.
Have a great Congress.
Solidarity to all.
Paul Nowak
1.1 Campaign to protect the right to strike
The General Council led a strong and high-profile campaign against the Conservative government’s attempt to undermine the right to strike using the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act that became law in summer 2023.
Conservative ministers sought to impose minimum service levels (MSLs) on specific sectors by pushing regulations through Parliament paving the way for workers to be required to cross picket lines during disputes.
Initially regulations were passed for the ambulance service, passenger rail and border security services, with fire and rescue added later.
MSLs were also threatened for hospital services and schools, colleges and universities.
The legislation could lead to workers who lawfully voted to take strike action being told to attend work – and sacked if they didn’t comply.
It could also lead to unions facing huge damages for breaches of the complex and onerous rules.
In line with composite 1, a Special Congress was held in December to determine TUC strategy to resist MSLs.
Despite anti-union rhetoric from the Conservative government, in their first year the new laws failed to make any impact
A General Council statement set out how the TUC would support affected unions, resist the new laws, mobilise workers and seek the repeal of the legislation.
Despite anti-union rhetoric from the Conservative government, in their first year the new laws failed to make any impact. This is testament to the steadfast campaigning across our movement to defend our fundamental right to strike.
In line with resolution 5, the TUC has undertaken significant campaign activity to defend the right to strike, including:
- briefing MPs and peers to oppose the draconian regulations imposing MSLs in specific sectors and to continue to support repeal of the laws
- planning and mobilising for a demonstration in Cheltenham in January 2024 celebrating our history and recommitting the union movement to resist MSLs
- producing media interventions and providing TUC spokespeople for interviews to continue to state the case against this unworkable and undemocratic law
- publishing high-quality ‘protect the right to strike’ social media content, which has reached millions of people
- holding a webinar for reps – attended by 1,700 workers – updating them on the impact of the new law
- creating a guide for reps on dealing with MSLs in the workplace
- supporting PCS in its legal challenge against MSL regulations affecting border security workers and continuing our wider legal challenge to these undemocratic laws – leaving no stone unturned internationally and in UK courts
- calling on all employers and public bodies to oppose this counterproductive legislation, including by securing commitments from the Welsh and Scottish governments as well as city mayors and council leaders that they will not implement MSLs
- providing advice to unions at risk of being subject to work notices and sharing best practice responses across the movement
- preparing to provide support at short notice to any union or worker subjected to a work notice, including by holding an emergency demonstration of solidarity.
The TUC also made an extensive submission to the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) setting out the myriad ways the UK legislation contravened the UK’s international obligations.
Legal advice commissioned by the TUC allowed affiliates to determine their legal strategies to supplement ongoing political and industrial opposition
to MSLs.
The General Council will continue to robustly oppose MSLs and seek their repeal under the new government.
1.2 Industrial action
Industrial campaigns have delivered real gains for workers, across both public and private sector employers. Unions have deployed industrial campaigns to win significant pay rises for working people, with many double-digit pay settlements being secured, supporting workers to push back against the cost-of-living crisis.
Increasingly, unions are also winning recognition agreements across the private sector by deploying strong industrial campaigns.
The TUC has hosted two roundtables to support unions in their industrial campaigns. The first shared intelligence on maximising ballot turnout, to beat the current restrictive legislation on industrial action. The second roundtable focused on industrial campaigning to secure recognition for collective bargaining.
The TUC is currently undertaking some academic research to understand common characteristics of successful industrial campaigns, and will be sharing that intelligence with unions in due course.
While large-scale public-sector disputes have not featured as prominently in 2024 as in the previous year, there have nonetheless been some ongoing high-profile disputes despite the Conservative government’s attempts to stifle industrial campaigns by MSL legislation.
In rail and in the border force, in particular, union action was not prevented by the new Act. In fact, where employers threatened to restrict the impact of strike action by using the legislation, union responses meant this threat was quickly withdrawn.
Where employers threatened to restrict the impact of strike action by using the legislation, union responses meant this threat was quickly withdrawn
1.3 Employment rights
The General Council opposed several attempts from the former Conservative government to water down employment protections.
Conservative ministers launched another attempt to rescind the ban on agency workers being supplied to replace workers who are on strike.
A previous regulation was quashed by the High Court after unions joined together to successfully seek a judicial review.
The TUC made a strongly worded submission to the government consultation setting out our opposition to dropping the ban, to ensure that workers are able to robustly defend their pay and conditions.
The General Council also campaigned against the Conservative government’s proposals to reintroduce tribunal fees.
We warned that introducing fees in employment tribunals and employment appeal tribunals would price workers out of accessing justice.
Following UNISON’s legal challenge, in 2017 the Supreme Court ruled that employment tribunal fees were unlawful because they priced workers out of accessing justice and discriminated against women.
By planning their reintroduction, Conservative ministers failed to learn lessons from past mistakes and ignored clear legal principles set out in the Supreme Court judgment.
The TUC coordinated a joint statement with campaign groups including Citizens Advice, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Fawcett Society and ensured that our opposition was reported in the media.
Employers continue to employ agency workers and independent contractors via umbrella companies.
This is driven by financial incentives paid to umbrella companies for being added to a preferred supplier list, which can even include fitted kitchens and holidays for recruitment agency directors. This then incentivises non-compliant umbrella providers (who because of non-compliance have higher margins) to offer large bonuses to gain access to potential clients.
The TUC has highlighted that workers working under these arrangements experience a multitude of problems ranging from a lack of transparency over core terms and conditions to unwittingly becoming embroiled in fraudulent tax arrangements with serious financial consequences.
We responded to a government consultation on regulating umbrella companies by calling for a ban on the use of umbrella companies, and recommended immediate steps that could be taken to clamp down on some of the worst behaviour.
The TUC has worked with Unite and frontline charities to develop a joint set of recommendations to improve conditions and prevent the exploitation of seasonal workers. Through engagement with the relevant government departments, we have been actively campaigning for reforms to the seasonal work visa. The TUC met with the then shadow immigration minister on several occasions to raise concerns about how the current immigration system is facilitating the exploitation of vulnerable migrant workers, with a view to securing key reforms under the new Labour government.
1.4 New deal for workers
A better deal for workers is desperately needed.
The UK has had a long experiment with an ultra-flexible labour market that benefits exploitative employers at the cost to working people.
The result has been a lacklustre economy and flatlining wages, but in response the Conservative government sought to tilt the balance even further against workers.
The Trade Union Act 2016 and the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 are both vicious anti-union laws designed to hamper the ability of working people to defend their terms and conditions.
Labour's New Deal for working people offers a huge opportunity to repeal these anti-union measures, in line with resolution 1. It sets out a new framework giving workers much stronger individual and collective rights.
With more than four million workers in insecure working arrangements such as zero-hours contracts, reforms such as the right to a normal hours' contract and reasonable notice of shift changes will be transformative.
In line with resolution 6, the General Council focused on campaigning for the development and implementation of a comprehensive New Deal for workers.
In particular, the TUC established a working group of affiliates to refine and develop proposals to tackle one-sided flexibility and insecure work.
The General Council has worked closely with the Labour Party, trade unions affiliated to the Labour Party and our wider group of affiliates to develop our policies on key elements of the New Deal.
The TUC’s campaigning work has repeatedly highlighted the need for the New Deal and widespread support for the measures among voters. Even many bosses support the New Deal, with polling showing that 70 per cent of managers support Labour’s proposed changes to employment law.
In line with resolution 74, we have continued to push for implementation of the New Deal in full, as the best means of ensuring that working people can improve their pay and working conditions.
Fair pay agreements are a crucial part of the New Deal. Establishing sectoral bargaining is key to addressing the decline in collective bargaining coverage, especially in the private sector, and raising pay and working conditions.
The TUC has continued to work with unions to develop proposals for sectoral collective bargaining, focusing on sectors where unions are keen to establish fair pay agreements.
The TUC has convened a Social Care Fair Pay Agreements Working Group, comprising representatives from UNISON, GMB and Unite, to develop proposals for a fair pay agreement in social care. Final proposals, covering the aims, the process for developing a social care fair pay agreement and areas that should be covered in the negotiations, were agreed by the working group in May and endorsed by the executive committee in July.
The TUC has also been working with the RMT and Nautilus International to consider the best way to establish mandatory sectoral pay and employment standards for the short sea ferry sector.
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