Socialist Party members delegated to conference from their unions
This year’s TUC (Trade Union Congress) LGBT+ conference took place at a “defining moment”, as TUC president and Prison Officers Association general secretary Steve Gillan put it.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) draft Code of Practice on the Equality Act, which had been laid before parliament a month earlier in light of the ‘For Women Scotland v Scottish Minsters’ 2025 Supreme Court ruling, represents a further attack on trans+ rights. But the fightback mood at this conference was more evident than in previous years.
Steve made the point that the far right and their poisonous ideas are getting a hearing across the UK and must be fought. He argued it’s partly ‘messaging’ that’s caused Labour’s collapse in the polls, and praised the Labour government’s ‘transformative’ agenda, citing the watered-down Employment Rights Act.
But then, acknowledging the reality of Starmer’s record, he called for a change of approach under Andy Burnham, who he said will hopefully go further. But what means do the trade unions have to determine Labour policy under Burnham? No more than under Starmer. So the trade unions fighting back, and a party that opposes austerity and the division that undermines our strength, are needed.
The panel discussion on the future of solidarity and trans rights was an opportunity to push the TUC leadership to take a lead on fighting the far right and their ideas. PCS National Executive Committee delegate and Socialist Party Scotland member Fiona Brittle reminded conference of the TUC’s agreed approach to campaign for ‘Jobs and homes not racism’, in order to unite the working class and fight against all oppression springing from austerity and exploitation.
PCS delegate and Socialist Party member Eilonwy Awen spoke on ‘Tackling hate, promoting allyship and solidarity – Unions Against LGBT+ Hate’. She explained how we need to fight for control of funding and rights to be in the hands of the majority, the working class, not a small minority of rich people who want to divide us. She’s right, and we need a new mass workers’ party that opposes austerity and division.
The discussion on the draft EHRC guidance included two emergency motions, calling on the TUC to oppose the guidance and for reform of the EHRC. Eilonwy spoke again, saying that unjust rules like this guidance shouldn’t determine or undermine the democratic decisions and rules of trade unions. Otherwise, where would we be? Trade unions fought Rishi Sunak’s Minimum Service Act, and defeated that attempt to ban strikes. And we’re going to fight this. She reported that many PCS members who work for the EHRC and the civil service don’t agree with how trans people are being treated, nor with the guidance.
There are signs in and beyond the conference that a serious fightback is wanted. When the Reform-led Durham council pulled out of the local Pride, the local community and trade unionists mobilised and made it bigger and brighter than ever. We need to build on this, with trade unions taking the lead on fighting attacks on LGBTQ+ rights as part of the struggle to fight austerity and all the attacks on the working class.
The TUC general secretary remarked that in the past year there has been the biggest increase in trade union membership since records began. Areas with Reform councils unions report big growth in membership too. Let’s put this to use, uniting and fighting the bosses’ attacks, and for all workers.
