TUC showcases union positives as Congress arrives in South West

The TUC is on Sunday launching a new publication to showcase the positive impact unions have in South West workplaces.

Entitled 'Unions At Work in the South West', the 22-page full-colour booklet prints examples of unions giving their members a voice at work, saving jobs, securing pay rises, fighting for equality, providing training and campaigning for safer workplaces. It is launched the same day as TUC Congress begins in Bournemouth - the first time in 25 years the event has been held in the South West.

Nigel Costley, regional secretary of the South West TUC, said: 'Some people think unions only organise strikes and protest marches, but the truth is few of our 504,000 members in the South West have been on strike, and industrial action remains at historically low levels, with nearly four times more days lost to back pain than strikes!

'People need an independent body to represent them at work, and we find the most successful organisations involve and engage everyone in the workplace. Good managers listen and take notice of what their staff have to say.

'Unions have a duty to press for progressive social change. The people who bought us the weekend still have campaigns to lead. Unions have wider aims to make society less brutal and more equal.

'Unions fight to protect our valuable public services and defend the vulnerable. The lowest-paid deserve to work without the need for welfare and the economy needs a boost from higher earnings.

'Unions are the most democratic institutions in society and make up the largest voluntary membership organisation in the country. That's what keeps us relevant and gives us credibility. We need to shout about what unions do because we have a remarkable story to tell.'

The launch coincides with hundreds of trade unionists visiting Bournemouth for the annual Congress, where delegates vote on union policies.

Nigel Costley said: 'The main issues facing working people are jobs, growth and fair pay. Trade unions would like to see workers paid at a Living Wage of at least £7.45, because it is unsustainable to expect taxpayers to subside poor wages.

'We would also like to see the back of exploitative zero hours contracts because poverty pay creates not only a dysfunctional economy, but also a broken society where people in work are relying on food banks, handouts and social security benefits.'

Download a copy of Unions At Work in the South West