TUC Cymru Congress 2026
- The Future of Progressive Politics and Trade Union Engagement in Wales
Congress notes the significant political changes arising from the recent Senedd elections, the growing threat of right-wing populism, and the historic role of the labour movement in representing working-class communities in Wales.
Congress believes progressive parties must deliver tangible improvements for working people and that trade unions must play a central role in shaping Wales’ political future. Attempts to counter the far right by shifting further to the political right risk abandoning the values and communities that built the labour movement.
Congress further believes Labour must undertake serious reflection and renewal following recent electoral setbacks, including meaningful engagement with affiliated trade unions and working people, in order to rebuild trust with communities across Wales.
Congress also recognises the importance of trade unions maintaining constructive engagement with any Welsh Government in the interests of workers, public services, and social justice.
Congress therefore instructs the General Council:
- To maintain and strengthen existing social partnership structures within the new Welsh Government and secure meaningful improvements in workplace implementation;
- Encourage regular dialogue between Labour representatives in Wales, TUC Cymru, and affiliated trade unions;
- Oppose political strategies that move away from progressive and trade union values in response to the far right;
- Reaffirm the central role of trade unions in shaping the political future of Wales;
- Campaign for stronger public services, workers’ rights, collective bargaining, and democratic accountability.
Moved by FBU
- Devolution of Water: Protecting Workers’ Rights During Welsh Water Sector Reform
Congress notes:-
- Further devolution of water and Welsh Government Green Paper aligning regulatory and planning functions and overhauling environmental and drinking water protection.
- Necessity of workers being at the heart of process given their professional expertise is essential to maintaining safe, sustainable and publicly accountable services.
- Lengthy process through to 2030s which will entail a prolonged interim period when Ofwat and other England-based bodies continue to regulate key services and major uncertainty this brings for workers
Congress believes:
- Devolution must not reduce staffing levels and terms and conditions of workers involved in this industry
- Cross-border regulatory changes must not weaken workers’ rights, safety, local accountability or union voice.
Congress instructs TUC Cymru to campaign for nationalisation of water for real control over our water.
In the immediate situation we also instruct TUC Cymru to:-- Campaign for:
- statutory guarantees;
- work to remain in the civil service delivered by civil servants employed on a single set of terms and conditions with no detriment, agreed through social partnership talks with recognised trade unions
- Demand any Welsh regulator enshrines fair work as a core duty, recognises trade unions, and prioritises workforce planning, skills, and H&S.
- Secure protections during the transition period, including no job losses, no compulsory redundancies, protection of pay and grading, clear limits on additional workload, and guaranteed access to retraining.
- Oppose any attempts to take work out of the civil service or contract it out.
- Demand full staffing and investment in resilience of this key public service.
Moved by PCS
- Devolution of prisons, police and justice for Wales
Congress welcomes the UK White Paper from local to national : a new model of policing as a once in a generation opportunity to reform policing and devolve powers to the Welsh Government as proposed in the Silk, Thomas and Williams Commissions.
Congress notes:
- the UK Labour manifesto 2024 pledged to explore devolving probation services and consider youth justice devolution
- the Thomas commission recommendations that matters of governance and inspection of police, prisons and probation, along with other aspects of the justice infrastructure, should be determined in Wales
- the Welsh Government's budget for 2026-27 has allocated over £100 million in spending for policing despite it not being a devolved area of responsibility, the positive impact Welsh Government funding has had on community safety, crime prevention and supporting victims of crime.
Congress therefore:
- instructs the General Council to develop a campaign advocating for the devolution of policing, prisons and justice with devolving probation services and youth justice as a first step to improve the lives of working people in Wales.
Moved by Rhondda Cynon Taff Trades Council
- Navigating a New Political Landscape in Wales
This year's Senedd elections, according to opinion polls, could see a dramatic shift in the political landscape of Wales, with a potential coalition government, as well as a large number of Reform members of the Senedd being elected, propagating their anti trade union and racist agenda. This could result in a changed relationship between TUC Cymru and the Senedd.
If this likely scenario is confirmed on May the 7th, congress strongly affirms that the ongoing relationship of TUC Cymru with a new Senedd administration will be based entirely on the defence and advancement of our members pay, well being and terms and conditions. This applies particularly to our public sector workers in areas where the Senedd has direct responsibility, but also to all other public and private sector workers in Wales who continue to face the economic and social damage of austerity and the cost of living crisis. Congress notes the Conference on Political Representation initiated by Welsh trades councils in October 2025
In preparation for this new and potentially volatile term of office, congress pledges to prepare to mobilise the support of all affiliated unions to resist any future attacks or undermining of living standards by the Senedd. Congress instructs the general council to draw together all our policies to fight austerity to form a comprehensive programme of demands to place on the new Welsh government.
Moved by Swansea Trades Council
- Social Partnership
As TUC Cymru navigates a relationship with the newly elected Welsh Government, General Council reaffirms a commitment to social partnership and fair work in Wales.
General Council notes the further development of social partnership working since the passage of the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 which has included:
- The establishment of the Social Partnership Council, chaired by the First Minister
- Roll out of the Social Partnership Duty across listed public bodies in Wales
- Ongoing participation in Welsh Government social partnership structures including the NHS Partnership Forum, the Social Care Fair Work Forum, the Retail Forum, and the Schools Social Partnership Forum
- Social Partnership pilot training
As well as specific products including:
- The publication of guidance on using AI and algorithmic management in the Welsh public sector
- Publishing guidance to embed Fair Work in the government business grants process
- Development of policy that considers employee harm as part of the investigatory process in the NHS Wales.
The progress made on the social partnership agenda must not be lost. With the legislation and structures in place, it is important that we now build on these foundations and focus on using social partnership working to deliver better outcomes for working people across the nation.
Social Partnership working must be more than a tick box exercise. It is a tool to strengthen the worker voice in decision-making. It sits outside of traditional positional bargaining arrangements without undermining the industrial strength of trade unions. It is essential that public bodies are held to account through local trade union mechanisms so that it produces measurable and meaningful impacts for workers. The benefits of this way of working must be clear and understandable.
We therefore call on TUC Cymru to:
- lobby for the expansion of social partnership working as a delivery tool which produces measurable outcomes for working people
- roll out the pilot training programme across the public sector in Wales
- work with unions to embed social partnership at a local level
Moved by General Council
- Date of TUC Cymru Congress
TUC Cymru rules state that our Congress must take place in the third week of May every other year. This means that once every four years Congress takes place a fortnight after the Senedd elections. The timing is a strategic disadvantage as it prevents TUC Cymru from using its most high-profile event to influence ahead of the Senedd election. Furthermore, there are resource implications for TUC Cymru staff who must engage in election campaign work whilst simultaneously preparing for Congress.
With these factors in mind, Congress resolves to set up a working group to investigate the possibility of changing TUC Cymru’s rules so that Congress can be he held at another time. The group will be appointed by General Council and will report back to General Council in September 2027, to allow for any rule change to be drafted in time for 2028 Congress.
Moved by General Council