Report of Congress 2013 The 145th Annual Trades Union Congress 8–11 September 2013, Bournemouth 1 Contents General Council members 2013–2014 ...................................................................... 3 Section 1: Congress decisions ........................................................................................ 4 Part 1: Resolutions carried ............................................................................................................................ 5 Part 2: Motions lost ..................................................................................................................................... 41 Part 3: General Council statements ............................................................................................................ 42 Section 2: Keynote Speeches ....................................................................................... 45 Frances O’Grady ............................................................................................................................................ 46 Lesley Mercer ................................................................................................................................................ 50 Ed Miliband ................................................................................................................................................... 52 Amirul Haque Amin ..................................................................................................................................... 56 Doreen Lawrence OBE ................................................................................................................................. 58 Section 3: Unions and their delegates ........................................................................ 60 Section 4: Details of past Congresses .......................................................................... 72 Section 5: Members of the General Council, 1921–2013 ........................................... 76 2 General Council members 2013–2014 Sheila Bearcroft MBE Larry Flanagan Paul McCarthy Liz Snape MBE GMB Educational Institute of GMB UNISON Scotland Christine Blower Len McCluskey Michelle Stanistreet National Union of Steve Gillan Unite National Union of Teachers POA Journalists Sean McGovern Mary Bousted Janice Godrich Unite Jane Stewart Association of Teachers Public and Commercial Unite Lesley Mercer and Lecturers Services Union Chartered Society of Patricia Stuart Joanna Brown John Hannett Physiotherapy Unite Society of Chiropodists Union of Shop, Gloria Mills CBE Niamh Sweeney and Podiatrists Distributive and Allied UNISON Association of Teachers Workers Tony Burke and Lecturers Steve Murphy Unite Dave Harvey Union of Construction, Mohammad Taj National Union of Jane Carolan Allied Trades and (chair) Teachers UNISON Technicians Unite Billy Hayes Gail Cartmail Ged Nichols Chris Tansley Communication Unite Accord UNISON Workers Union Mike Clancy Christine Payne Steve Turner Sally Hunt Prospect Equity Unite University and College Brian Cookson Union Dave Penman Simon Weller NASUWT FDA Associated Society of Karen Jennings Locomotive Engineers Manuel Cortes UNISON Tim Poil and Firemen Transport Salaried Nationwide Group Staff Tony Kearns Staffs’ Association Union Fiona Wilson Communication Union of Shop, Bob Crow Workers Union Dave Prentis Distributive and Allied National Union of Rail, UNISON Chris Keates Workers Maritime and Transport NASUWT Malcolm Sage Workers Tony Woodhouse GMB Paul Kenny Unite Tony Dale GMB Eddie Saville Union of Shop, Matt Wrack Hospital Consultants Distributive and Allied Michael Leahy OBE Fire Brigades’ and Specialists’ Workers Community Union Association Mark Dickinson Leslie Manasseh MBE Frances O’Grady Mark Serwotka Nautilus International Prospect TUC General Secretary Public and Commercial Maria Exall Sue Mather Services Union Communication Community Eleanor Smith Workers Union Fern McCaffrey UNISON Sue Ferns GMB John Smith Prospect Musicians’ Union 3 Section 1 Congress decisions Listed below are the decisions taken by the 2013 Trades Union Congress on the motions and amendments submitted by unions, together with the General Council statements adopted by Congress. The numbers given to resolutions and motions refer to their number in the Final Agenda, or to that of the Composite or Emergency Motion. 4 Section 1: Congress decisions Although some of these placements, Part 1 commonly described as ‘work experience’, Resolutions carried ‘intern’, or ‘volunteer’ positions, are a genuine opportunity for new entrants to the workforce to gain skills and experience that may improve 15 Maritime skills their employability, they are more often just a Despite its continued reliance upon maritime blatant abuse aimed at securing the services of trade, the UK continues to witness continued workers for nothing. significant decline in its seafaring skills base. These unpaid positions appear across the Congress notes with concern that the economy, including the film and TV production government’s own statistics show that, on sector, where a BECTU survey of young workers current trends, the number of British seafarers revealed that 33 per cent of respondents had will almost halve over the next 20 years. undertaken more than 10 unpaid assignments Congress notes that continued decline of the since entering the industry. UK maritime skills base will present a wide Far from giving them a quick route to range of adverse economic and strategic employment, the vast majority of respondents consequences, and will present significant felt that unpaid work was a hindrance to their threats to safety and the environment, as well careers, and 95 per cent agreed that employers as posing a long-term risk to the UK’s traditional should be obliged to pay the national minimum global lead in major maritime industries and wage (NMW). services. Despite the activities of HMRC’s enforcement Congress expresses its concern at the unit, and the success of unions pursuing, government’s continued failure to develop a through employment tribunals, employers who clear and coherent maritime policy that places fail to pay the NMW, unpaid work opportunities UK seafarer employment and training at its abound on internet job sites. heart, with explicit targets for expansion. It Congress therefore calls on the General highlights recent government reductions in the Council to campaign for: Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme i. a change in the regulations to ensure and calls for this essential assistance to be that all advertisements offering enhanced and expanded, to keep UK seafarer positions at rates below the NMW are training costs internationally competitive and to treated as a prima facie breaches of the ensure that adequate numbers of British officers law and ratings are trained and can progress their ii. a policy for automatic public ‘naming careers. and shaming’ of any employer in breach Congress deplores the lack of ambition on of the NMW. the partof the government for shipping and Broadcasting, Entertainment, British seafarer employment and believes the Cinematograph and Theatre Union UK must make determined measures to combat exploitation and unfair competition in British 24 Fair pay for young workers waters and develop, in consultation with the Congress notes that despite the introduction of industry including the maritime trade unions, a age discrimination legislation, age proactive strategy for shipping which puts more discrimination in government and society is still jobs for British seafarers right at the top of the rife. The national minimum wage has arbitrary agenda. age bands and rates that result in lower pay for Nautilus International lower aged workers, with an Apprenticeship rate for under 19s of just £2.65 per hour. 23 National minimum wage Congress condemns the coalition Congress notes with concern the growing government’s decision to freeze national practice of employers offering unpaid minimum wage rates for 16- to 20-year-olds. opportunities of work, often to young and Since 2010, the increases to these rates have vulnerable workers who are trying to break into been pitifully low, with a 15p increase for the world of employment. 5 Section 1: Congress decisions apprentices, 4p for 16- to 17-year-olds and 6p build for a national day of action for a for 18- to 20-year-olds. fair NMW and a living wage for young Many 16- to 24-year-olds are financially people. independent and therefore expected to pay for TUC Young Workers’ Conference life’s essentials including housing, energy and food – which have all seen dramatic price increases since the economic recession. 25 Private copying and fair Additionally, many employers appear to be compensation using the recession to justify unnecessary cuts in The government is attempting to introduce a the wages of young workers, which adds to private copying exception without fair their financial difficulties. compensation. This would make it legal to copy Young people are already disadvantaged by CDs or DVDs onto an iPod or computer. age-based reductions in benefits and the Congress agrees that this is a good idea as long situation will worsen under the so-called as the government acknowledges its obligations welfare reform. under EU directives and ensures that the Youth unemployment is at an all-time high exception is accompanied by fair compensation. and young people who do find employment Artists and creators in almost all other EU face low pay, poor terms and conditions, fixed-