With TUC Congress in Brighton less than a month away, trade union activists will be starting to pore over the congress motions that will form part of the discussion about the industrial and political strategy needed as workers face the brutal cost-of-living squeeze.
Since the Covid pandemic, prices have continued to rise, with food and energy inflation soaring. More pain for workers is on the way as the economy stagnates, and as Trump’s instigated crisis in the Middle East threatens yet more instability.
Starmer was forced out of office by the anger and frustration of working-class people, reflected in Labour’s electoral wipeout in the May elections.
But it’s essential that the union movement doesn’t just ‘wait for Burnham’ but sets out a real emergency programme that makes it clear that workers won’t keep paying the price for the bosses’ crisis.
We’ve got to keep demanding that Labour finally delivers on its promise to scrap the undemocratic 50% strike ballot thresholds. This was reneged on by Starmer, and Burnham’s new ‘Code of Practice on Workplace Electronic Balloting’ makes no mention of it!
As National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) Chair Rob Williams says: “We’ve had enough of the constant ‘too much month left without any money!’ At our annual conference at the end of June, the NSSN debated the strategy and programme we need, and unanimously passed an action programme to defend workers from the cost-of-living crisis. Policies such as these need to be demanded of Burnham’s government to counter the wishlist of big business, which no doubt is being tabled as you read this.
“That will be outlined by CEOs in skyscrapers in Canary Wharf and the City of London, and in the likes of the Financial Times and the Economist.
“But the NSSN will be bringing hundreds of union reps and members from workplaces to Brighton, along with congress delegates, to listen to militant union leaders and striking workers, and then to discuss with all those attending TUC Congress.
“We are delighted that the PCS motion to TUC Congress ‘34: Public sector pay’ includes key themes in our action programme such as the need for real pay rises to protect workers from the cost-of-living crisis by reopening “talks on public sector pay for 2026-27”. And, as part of the strategy to fight for this, “a national Saturday demonstration this autumn for investment in public services, against austerity and for pro-worker policies” and “urges all public sector unions to join a united campaign on pay, and, if needed, to plan for coordinated industrial action to secure real gains for workers”.
Join the NSSN lobby of the TUC:
- 1pm Sunday 13th September
- Holiday Inn, 137 King’s Rd (seafront), Brighton, BN1 2JF
