The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
Week commencing 20th September 2024
The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
Week commencing 20th September 2024
The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
Now that the 156th Trades Union Congress is well and truly done and dusted we can take stock of not just the event itself but the state of trade unions in Britain.
Once upon a time this was almost a great state occasion, receiving wall to wall TV coverage. Labour grandees, in Cabinet or merely Shadow Ministers, went for the entire session, and paid close attention to what was being said if they knew what was good for their careers. Battalions of thirsty labour correspondents filled the bars as well as the broadsheets, tabloids, airwaves and black and white TV screens alike.
As long ago as 2011, a former BBC journalist, John Mair, wrote that “in the past, there were enough labour correspondents to mount a cricket team to play the union barons before the Trades Union Congress started each year. Today, they could not umpire that match”.
the subject
While they were not always on the side of labour at least they covered the subject properly. Nowadays matters such as an actor dumping his third wife for his mistress is deemed more important by both media barons and those glued to their phones.
In recent years only the TUC’s General Secretary and the Labour Party Leader, when he drops in, get any media attention. This year the brief TV coverage was largely interesting for showing that while the Brighton Conference Centre hall was filled, this was largely because the delegates were given large tables to fill out space. Even the right-wing press found it hard to denounce anyone for being a “loony lefty”.
Those who find train spotting too exciting can still watch proceedings on You-Tube. On Tuesday morning the speeches by the Labour leader had a massive 550 views, that by the General Secretary 772, TUC President Matt Wrack was the most popular who racked up over thousand views. The viewers of the daily proceedings ranged from 311 to 772. This correspondent was responsible for at least five for each day in a hopeless quest for a good quote.
This media indifference merely reflects the decline in the size and influence of the unions. Unfortunately we are not certain just how many trade unionists there are in Britain. We depend on two sources. The first is the annual Trade Union Membership, UK 1995-2024: Statistical Bulletin from the Department of Business & Trade. This is based on sam- pling from the department’s Labour Force Survey. The latest was published in June and covered the last quarter of 2023. It revealed an unflattering picture. They record a slight increase in membership density from 2022, but this was only an increase from 22.2 to 22.4 per cent, with absolute numbers rising by 89,000 to 6.4 million in 2023. This welcome increase was due to an increase in 172,000 male workers offsetting a decline of 83,000 women. The growth in the private sector of 101,000 was countered by a fall of 12,000 public sector members. Public sector membership was massively greater than in the private sector: 49.2 versus 12.3 per cent. Changed days from 1979 when there were 13.2 million trade unionists amongst a smaller workforce.
The TUC represents 48 unions with around 6.4 million members. The main non-TUC unions are the grand British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing whose patron is His Majesty the King. There are a number of very specialist un- ions such as the Leek United Building Society Staff Association and street unions for migrant workers neglected by the major general unions like the Industrial Workers of the World who are not in the TUC and have sometimes been treated with disdain by it.
little attention
Given the low member- ship density it is not surprising that both friend and foe of the working classes do not always pay much attention to TUC pronouncements. All too often union members pay little attention to what is supposed to be their organisation. General Secretary elections rarely inspire even a tenth of the membership to vote.
The Gathering
There was little controversy at Brighton. The TUC is a past master of avoiding any serious debate; compositing motions so that they mean next to nothing and contain nothing any person of good-will can object to. If that fails and some radical motion gets passed, it is politely ignored.
It was telling that the vote on the two-child benefit cap was delayed till after Sir Keir Starmer delivered his usual boring oration so as not to embarrass his sirhood. This was received with a mixture of both applause and stony silence from the various factions in the hall (these are always carefully selected to make sure they toe each un- ion’s line). As a special treat delegates were graciously allowed to ask him six easy questions, all of which were obviously planted before-hand. All that helps ensure that TUC biggies will not be forgotten when Sir Keir is drawing up his New Year Honours list.
This time round plenty of vaguely left motions were passed. The two-child child benefit cap was rejected, increased taxes on the rich to improve public services were approved, and a reversal of the cut to pensioners’ winter fuel payment demanded. In addition to supporting Labour’s vague ‘New Deal for Working People’, delegates demanded the repeal of all anti-strike and anti-union laws; “pay restoration”, and for a complete ban on fire and rehire with no loopholes as well as the reversal of long term real-terms pay cuts. But it is highly unlikely that Government ministers are trembling in their offices at the ingratitude of the plebs asking for more.
In particular the major motion on such matters included the phrase “Congress instructs the General Council to campaign vigorously to realise these aims and to hold the UK government to account until it does so”. They must have been having a laugh. Vigorous campaigning is not something the TUC ever does. Its style is normally one of issuing press releases and some polite discussions with ministers which never come to anything.
It was telling that one important matter was totally absent from the Congress Agenda, the fact that the purpose-built Congress House is up for sale, a measure the TUC has been very discreet about. Obviously, the plebs are deemed too uncultured or financially informed enough to hold a valid opinion on the matter.
Reform
A motion from Unison, entitled “Challenging the politics of hate” included the curious demand that the TUC raise “awareness of Reform’s policies for the workplace and society and scrutinise and hold to account Reform’s elected representatives”. The first part of that will save Nigel Farage a lot of work by telling people what Reform UK actually stands for.
Among other worthy causes was a demand for the repeal of the 1994 Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 which prevents prison officer grades (represented by the Prison Officers Association) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from striking. This was also said in 1994.
Neglected Issues
A number of causes which do not hit the headlines, but are of vital importance to particular groups of workers are brought to attention.
One of these was a demand that while most employment agencies are prevented from charging up-front fees from work-seekers this does not apply in the performing arts and entertainment industry. Actors’ union Equity demands an end to this exception including the abolition of excessive directory fees.
Another motion from Equity informs us that the Arts Council England (ACE) has been telling artists in receipt of public funding to watch what they say in a private capacity about political matters. This warning was specifically linked to someone expressing views on the genocide in Gaza conflict which apparently put their chances for further support at risk, and that of their company at risk. A similar union, the Musicians’ Union, deplores “Misogyny in music” which it says it is widespread in the industry. It points out that 87 per cent of women musicians had experienced or witnessed some form of discrimination, compared to 65 per cent of men. It has worthy aim of seeking “a music industry free from discrimination and harassment” and wants the TUC support. Left unsaid is the fact that these offences are likely to be committed by its own members as the union represents the vast majority of workers in the music industry.
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) is anxious that the TUC assist in its present campaign to cut the present overcrowded football calendar and the excessive player workload which could breach employment law. It also wants an independent regulator with player representation. They had better be careful about what they wish for in case a new regulator disciplines players for getting photographed tumbling out of night clubs at 4 am.
without pay
The National Association of Probation Officers drew attention to the fact that in the family courts service 93 per cent of staff had worked extra hours without pay or time off in lieu.
No doubt this tale can be retold thousands of time across the public and private sector. However, the solution to such exploitative behaviour will require far more that the doffing of the cap implied in the motion’s instruction to “the General Council to establish dialogue with the new minister for family justice to initiate a review into excessive work levels in Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) and find a solution to this perennial problem which is exploitative practice by the employer”. That will tell them.
The National Union of Journalists deplores the fact that trust in the media has declined from 51 per cent in 2015 to 35 per cent today. New Worker readers may wonder why so many people still trust the BBC and the rest of the bourgeois lie machine, but the NUJ wants to improve that particular statistic. This it hopes to do by taxing “big tech” with a windfall tax of six per cent to provide sustainable future funding, along with interest free loans to bolster frontline news-gathering roles. While it wants reformed media ownership rules, it takes care not to say who will be the beneficiary of this largess. It looks like they only want to tax Google to subsidise the likes of the Daily Mirror under the guise of supporting traditional journalism.
The same union takes a more positive line by seek- ing to improve the status of freelancers, who often suffer from low pay, no pensions, and irregular hours, which is of course a widespread and increasing problem in many other industries. It also notes that unions are often at fault in not including freelancers in pay and conditions talks, which of course drags everybody down sooner or later.
Green Battles
Controversy was not totally absent this year. The main bone of attention was about energy and environmental policies. Unite and GMB are strongly opposed to Labour’s ban on new North Sea oil and gas licences. A motion by these two unions to that effect passed the finishing line with 2.7 to 2.4 million votes, apparently due to the teacher’s union NASUWT not knowing what they were voting for.
Perhaps in conflict another motion in favour of “rapid and just transition away from fossil fuels to prevent catastrophic climate breakdown” from PCS and Unison, which do not have members in the energy industries was passed by a much greater margin. Voting against such noble sentiments would look bad so while Unite voted for it GMB and Prospect abstained. TUC resolutions are not binding on its members so it will not make a great deal of difference. Unions with members working in energy industries are wise to be wary of “green” rhetoric about a “just transition” as it is much easier to get rid of existing jobs than find replacement ones. It is no coincidence that the TUC took place in the week which it was announced that 2,800 jobs were to go at the Port Talbot steelworks in the name of ‘green’ steel making.
International Affairs
Last year the TUC voted for increased military spending (a move backed by Unite that likes to pose as a left-wing union) and for increased support for the fascist Ukrainian regime. These topics were not raised this year, either to back them or revise them. The only mention of military spending this year came as part of a rejected amendment on the environment from the University and College Union.
Perhaps the most positive result was overwhelming support for Palestine whose ambassador was allowed to address the meeting. The National Education Union won unanimous support for a total ban on arms sales to Israel. Indeed, this was the only international motion on the entire agenda, although there was a speaker from the International Confederation of Trade Unions’ Africa division. Lingering nostalgia for the European Union was seen in a Prospect motion which successfully sought closer ties with Brussels to reduce trade barriers, unaware that it is the EU which is the source of these problems.
The spirit of many motions was like being against sin. Wanting better public services, better pay and job security etc. etc., is what one expects from trade unions. Apart from the fact that some people do not know the difference between a motion and a treatise the small print is often dismaying. For instance, sitting down with employers to have polite discussions to improve childcare and similar matters is favoured instead of rousing workers to take more militant action.
On a lighter note, it was somewhat ironic that a motion from the high-caste Civil Service union FDA on “Ethical government” which both deplored ministerial bullying and the sacking of senior civil servants by the Tories and welcomed Labour’s “commitment to establish an ethics and integrity commission” came just before the Starmer family’s sartorial habits came to light.
Finally, perhaps because it was his turn, Mark Dickinson, the Secretary of Nautilus International, the union for ship’s officers and engineers was appointed the next President of the TUC. His union was heavily involved in the P&O mass sackings involving 786 workers two years ago which has still not been resolved, at both the level of securing compensation or introducing legislation to prevent a recurrence. Like most TUC grandees he has spent far more time as a full-time union official than he ever spent at sea. He is said to be keen on promoting international solidarity. At Congress his union’s motion was one condemning the lack of British based seamen, which could remind us of the less edifying aspects of nautical trade unionism of the not-too-distant past. It will be interesting to see what happens next year when Labour’s brief honeymoon is a distant memory.