General Council Report 2025
5.1 Developing the TUC
We continued to implement our 2024–26 strategy, working under our five agreed aims of:
- a growing union movement that reflects the diversity of today’s working class and has the power to intervene effectively for workers
- workplaces where every worker has strong rights and is protected from
discrimination - a fairer economy that delivers secure jobs and rising wages and supports strong public
services - an economy where workers can shape and are prepared for the challenges of the
future - a strong TUC that is sustainable, effective and a great place to work.
To aid with the delivery of our strategy, we conducted a short review of our senior management team, adding new roles to ensure our effectiveness and a limited organisational reorganisation to reflect the new roles and focus. The full team now consists of:
- Paul Nowak, general secretary
- Kate Bell, assistant general secretary
- Kudsia Batool, director of equality
- Helen Bilton, director of operations
- Matt Dykes, assistant director of external relations
- Sian Elliott, director of organising
- Mariela Kohon, assistant director of strategy and delivery
- Alex Rossiter, director of communications
- Nicola Smith, director of policy
- Shavanah Taj, general secretary, TUC Cymru.
Other significant internal milestones have included reviewing our performance management system and our disciplinary and grievance policy and continuing our work to build an inclusive TUC. We completed a new round of our Black Talent and
Leadership programme, began implementing the findings of an LGBT+ listening exercise, and commenced a disabled workers’ listening exercise with staff. We also transitioned to a new finance system, providing greater security and efficiency for the organisation.
5.2 Sale of Congress House
As reported in the 2024 General Council report, following notice that major work would be required to meet incoming environmental standards, the General Council took the difficult decision to sell Congress House and seek a new modern home for the trade
union movement.
We appointed Newmark (formerly Gerard Eve) to assist with the project management of the sale, following a competitive tender process, and established an internal project group to guide the process of the sale, including legal preparation, financial management and the extensive task of clearing the basement and other storage spaces. Significant documents have been transferred to the TUC’s archives at Warwick, and one strand of the project focuses on preserving the history of Congress House.
The pension scheme agreed to transfer the charge held on Congress House to a new TUC building, with a deed of agreement signed between the TUC and the scheme to cover the period between the release of the charge and the establishment of a new one.
On June 28, the TUC agreed to prepare heads of agreement for a sale of Congress House.
This followed an exhaustive commercial sale process, supported by external agents, which saw over 100 viewings of the building and an initial 10 bids narrowed down to three bids.
The decision to proceed with the sale as set out above, was taken by the general secretary, on the advice of the TUC’s agents, and with the agreement of the TUC Trustees. This process was agreed by the Finance Committee in December 2024, and the
Executive Committee in January.
At the time of writing the TUC had entered a period of exclusivity with the potential purchaser during which legal
and technical due diligence was being undertaken.
Managing the sale of Congress House has also meant managing the difficult decision to close Congress Centre on 4 July, and the loss of valued staff members. We agreed an enhanced redundancy package with our staff unions and opened a voluntary redundancy scheme in May 2025. We would like to put on record the TUC’s thanks to these and all staff leaving the organisation for their dedicated service.
5.3 Congress and Congress Awards
We held a successful 2024 Congress in Brighton. Following the election of the first Labour government for 14 years, delegates at our annual showcase event debated a wide range of issues including winning a new deal at work, building a fairer economy
and building a stronger, more diverse trade union movement. The prime minister addressed Congress and we delivered a full programme of fringe and other events and speakers.
We were proud to present our Congress Awards in Brighton. The Health & Safety Award winner was Martina Vrajitory from GMB and the Organising Award went to Syed Hedi Naqvi from Usdaw. The winner of the Young Members’ Award was Helena Fletcher from UNISON. The winner of the ULR award was Darren Hincks from Unite. The Women’s Gold Badge recipient was Sharon Foster from UNISON.
5.4 TUC Comms Awards
The 47th Trade Union Comms Awards took place last October. Judges included Sam Jeffers, managing director of The
Shop, Luke Menzies, director of comms at the International Transport Workers Federation and Rob Sanders, TUC.
The categories and winners were:
- Best union journal | CSP
- Best recruitment and organising communication | RCM
- Best campaign communications | RMT
- Best media story | NEU
- Best use of social media | RMT
- Best communication from a smaller union | Nautilus International
- Lifetime achievement award – Rob Sanders.
5.5 Women’s Conference
The theme of TUC Women’s Conference 2025 was Resist, Persist, Deliver. Over 300 women from across the movement debated key issues including violence against women and girls, representation and leadership, and health and safety.
We hosted panels discussing the rise of misogyny and the far right and Black women’s experiences of sexual harassment. We hosted a series of workshops including supporting women’s leadership in the movement and becoming a health and safety rep.
5.6 LGBT+ Conference
The theme for the LGBT+ Workers Conference was Defeating the Narratives of Division. More than 250 people attended Conference in Congress House, with delegates debating key issues including international LGBT+ rights, the far right and hate speech/crime, LGBT+ health, trans rights and non-binary rights and issues raised as a result of the Supreme Court ruling that sex means biological sex in the Equality Act 2010 and accompanying EHRC guidance, and education.
We hosted two panel discussions, one on combating the far right and the other on racism within the rainbow.
5.7 Disabled Workers Conference
The theme of our Disabled Workers Conference was United We Resist. More than 200 people attended the conference, held in the Bournemouth International Centre, debating a range of issues including access to reasonable adjustments, disability leave, social security reform, disability pay gaps, accessibility, and access to work.
We hosted a panel discussion on changes to social security, with a range of keynote speakers including minister of state for social security and disability Stephen Timms.
5.8 Black Workers Conference
The theme of our Black Workers Conference was Educate. Agitate. Organise. Conference heard an address from Husam Said Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador, and debated resolutions on topics including the rise of the far right, immigration and maternal health. Workshops included a session on communicating and campaigning effectively, as well as a dedicated workshop discussing how affiliates can create safe spaces for Black women to organise on workplace issues.
5.9 Young Workers Conference
More than 150 delegates from across the movement came together to debate key issues including organising young workers, affordable housing and tackling the far right. Workshops and fringes covered topics such as having one-to-one conversations, rights of workplace reps, apprenticeships, chairing skills and promoting trans and non-binary rights. The Palestinian ambassador, Husam Said Zomlot, also addressed Conferences.
5.10 Trades Councils Conference
Held in Congress House at the end of May, delegates debated resolutions covering opposing the rise of the far right, employment rights, artificial intelligence, public services and the right to protest. The conference was addressed by the TUC general secretary, Fraser McGuire (chair of the TUC Young Workers Forum) and Mike Masters, a representative of the striking Birmingham
bin workers.
5.11 TUC finances
The annual statement of accounts and balance sheet as at 31 December 2024 is set out in Appendix 3. It shows a total deficit and reduction in assets of £1.5m, reducing total funds from £73.3m to £71.8m. This was made up of tangible fixed assets and investments of £43.1m and pension assets of £26.0m , with net current assets of £3.6m being offset by long-term tax and employee liabilities of £0.9m. The deficit was driven by changes in the value of assets and liabilities, including continuing difficulty in the London commercial property market that led to a significant fall in property values, offset by an improvement in the pension scheme position. The operating deficit on ordinary activities of £451,000 also contributed to the deficit. It was made up of deficits of £508,000 on the administration fund and £283,000 on the Congress House dilapidations fund, partially offset by surpluses of £312,000 and £28,000 on the development and external grants funds respectively.
5.12 Administration and dilapidations funds
The administration fund (covering day-to-day office running expenses and staff costs) deficit on ordinary activities of £508,000 was due to ordinary income of £19.5m falling below ordinary expenditure of almost £20.0m. Ordinary income of £19.5m was £725,000 above budgeted income primarily because membership numbers increased above the 2023 figure, and exceeded our estimated number for 2024. Ordinary expenditure of £20.0m was almost £820,000 higher than budget, primarily due to the accelerated write-down of asset values relating to equipment that will no longer be used after the forthcoming office move.
The dilapidations fund was used for Congress House building repairs and showed a deficit of £283,000, reflecting £449,000 spent and £166,000 transfer in from the administration fund. There was a zero balance in the fund at the year-end, reflecting the plans to move from Congress House in 2025/6.
5.13 Development and external grants funds
In 2024, 10 per cent of the affiliation fee was allocated to the development fund, plus additional contributions from affiliates and grants for projects, and was used to promote new work and General Council initiatives across the TUC’s strategic aims, including ensuring workers’ voices are represented at the Covid-19 public inquiry.
The development fund showed an operating surplus of £312,000, made up of just under £1.729m of income offset by £1.417m of expenditure. £1.430m of affiliation fees were set aside to fund this work, with additional income of just under £299,000 received from external sources as contributions to the cost of the Covid-19 Inquiry legal fees, and sponsorship for other work. The operating surplus of £312,000 was caused by underspends across most projects following changes to plans after the general election, and particularly lower than expected fees for the Covid-19 Inquiry.
The external grants fund is made up of grants and payments from external funders such as devolved and local governments for specific programmes of work. The £28,000 surplus was made up of just over £2.856m of income mostly offset by expenditure of
£2.828m, with the difference due to the timing of income and expenditure flows.
5.14 Prospects and developments
A budget for the 2025 administration fund has been agreed by the General Council. This showed a projected deficit of £716,420, which includes £457,500 of expenditure associated with the office move and cessation of conference activities. The General Council approved an affiliation fee increase of five per cent for 2025.
The TUC has retained its Fair Tax accreditation.
5.15 TUC Finance Committee
The Finance Committee met five times in 2024–25. Significant issues of discussion included agreeing the outline processes for the sale of Congress House, and that the general secretary would consult with at least two of the TUC’s trustees before accepting a bid. The committee also agreed principles for the use of the assets arising from the sale.
The committee also discussed the arrangement with the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC). In 2016, the TUC agreed an arrangement for a transfer of resource from the TUC to the STUC of £200,000 per annum. This agreement was phased in, coming into effect in full in 2018. The committee agreed that the STUC discount applied would increase to £257,898 for 2025 and 2026, with a formal review to take place in 2026.
In addition to agreeing the TUC’s accounts and hearing from the auditors, the committee also discussed the general secretary’s pay, following a two-year freeze agreed after his appointment. This was delegated to a sub- committee consisting of the president and TUC trustees.
5.16 TUC Library collection
Located at London Metropolitan University, the TUC Library provides a wide range of resources on both the history and current activities of trade unions, industrial relations, labour history and adult education.
Six exhibitions are currently available to loan: The Life of Mary Macarthur; The History of Young Workers; 150 years of the TUC; The 1984/85 Miners’ Strike; The Russian Revolution; and American and British Labour Relations.
The TUC Library is also collaborating with the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (UK) on a Black Trade Union Oral History project and is seeking volunteers to interview and be interviewed. To get involved, please visit: https://tuclibrary. blogs.londonmet.ac.uk
Our educational history websites – The Union Makes Us Strong, Workers’ War, Winning Equal Pay and Britain at Work – contain image archives and oral history and can all be accessed from www.unionhistory.info
Jeff Howarth, TUC librarian, retired after over a decade’s service managing the TUC Library (based at London Metropolitan University). We are very grateful to him for his dedication to preserving our history.
Enquiries, visits and inductions are very welcome and can be organised through the TUC Librarian at: London Metropolitan University Holloway Road Learning Centre 236–250 Holloway Road London N7 6PP tuclib@londonmet.ac.uk
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