REPORT OF CONGRESS Copyright © 2019 TUC ISBN 978 1 911288 46 6 Trades Union Congress Congress House Great Russell Street London WC1B 3LS tuc.org.uk 020 7636 4030 Design and print: TUC Photography: Getty Images For more copies of this publication, please contact TUC Publications on 020 7467 1294 or email [email protected] Bulk discounts may be offered. This Report of Congress 2018 may be made available for dyslexic or visually impaired readers, on request and at no extra cost, in an agreed electronic format or in accessible formats such as Braille, audio tape or large print. For more information, please contact TUC Publications as above. REPORT OF CONGRESS 2018 The 150th Annual Trades Union Congress 9–12 September 2018, Manchester 1 Contents General Council members 2018–19 ......................................................................................................... 3 Section 1: Congress decisions ....................................................................................................................... 4 Part 1: Resolutions carried .................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Part 2: General Council statements .............................................................................................................................................. 42 Section 2: Keynote speeches ...................................................................................................................... 48 Frances O’Grady, General Secretary ........................................................................................................................................... 49 Sally Hunt, President ......................................................................................................................................................................... 53 Rt Hon John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor ............................................................................................................... 56 The Most Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury ...................................................................................... 61 Shakira Martin, President of the National Union of Students.......................................................................................... 65 Section 3: Unions and their delegates .................................................................................................... 68 Section 4: Details of past Congresses ..................................................................................................... 78 Section 5: Members of the General Council, 1921–2018 ................................................................ 82 2 General Council members 2018–19 Sheila Bearcroft MBE Janice Godrich Dave Prentis Tony Woodhouse GMB PCS UNISON Unite Josie Bird Charlie Gray Davena Rankin Matt Wrack UNISON GMB UNISON FBU Mary Bousted Philipa Harvey Roy Rickhuss Frances O’Grady NEU NEU Community TUC General Secretary Tony Burke Sally Hunt Patrick Roach Unite UCU NASUWT Gail Cartmail Chris Keates Tim Roache Unite NASUWT GMB Mick Cash Vicky Knight Maggie Ryan RMT UCU Unite Mike Clancy Ian Lawrence Malcolm Sage Prospect Napo GMB Manuel Cortes Paddy Lillis Mark Serwotka TSSA Usdaw PCS Kevin Courtney Brian Linn Jon Skewes NEU Aegis RCM Ruth Cross Annette Liz Snape MBE Usdaw Mansell-Green UNISON BDA Nick Cusack Michelle Stanistreet PFA Susan Matthews NUJ Unite Tony Dale Jane Stewart Usdaw Len McCluskey Unite Unite Neil Derrick Claire Sullivan GMB Seán McGovern CSP Unite Mark Dickinson Chris Tansley Nautilus International Roger McKenzie UNISON UNISON Maria Exall Horace Trubridge CWU Gloria Mills CBE Musicians’ Union UNISON Sue Ferns Steve Turner Prospect Ged Nichols Unite Accord Larry Flanagan Dave Ward EIS Christine Payne CWU Equity Steve Gillan Simon Weller POA Dave Penman ASLEF FDA 3 Section 1 Congress decisions Listed below are the decisions taken by the 2018 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 Part 1 loopholes and guarantee a union voice on national skills bodies Resolutions vi. reform of takeovers, merger and acquisition regulation to promote longtermism and carried protect the interests of workers and communities. Unite 1 Industrial strategy: an economy for the many The following amendment was ACCEPTED by the Congress believes that the government has mover: abjectly failed to produce an industrial strategy Add sub-paragraph vii. at end: that meets the needs of working people by re- “vii. support for investment and strategic planning to balancing the economy for sustainable, job- ensure UK industry is at the forefront of a just transition to a low-carbon economy and the fight against climate creating growth. change, including by means of an integrated transport The last year has been a litany of government strategy.” failures, from the refusal to intervene in the ASLEF takeover of GKN by asset-stripping firm Melrose to the cancellation of the Swansea Tidal Lagoon. Congress echoes the concerns of shadow 2 The future of the retail sector chancellor John McDonnell that the deep structural Congress is alarmed at the level and frequency of problems in our economy that led to the financial restructuring within the retail sector, which is a crisis – and the decade of subsequent austerity – constant source of worry for the UK’s three million have not been dealt with. retail workers. One result of the chronic levels of Congress believes that retail workers have been underinvestment is the alarming fall in the number overlooked for too long. Job security in the sector of high-quality apprenticeships. Young workers has not been a priority of the current government, remain more likely to be offered a zero-hours which has failed to develop a coherent industrial contract than a union-recognised, well-paid strategy for retail, despite it being the UK’s largest apprenticeship. private sector employer. Congress calls on the General Council to Retail workers’ concerns about the increasing campaign for an industrial strategy for the many, pace of changes in technology and customer which includes: spending, and the risks posed by Brexit, must be i. strengthening worker voice by promoting and addressed as a matter of urgency. extending collective bargaining and sectoral Congress agrees to campaign for: collective bargaining i. urgent government action to address the ii. support for UK manufacturing, construction challenges facing retail and infrastructure investments ii. investment in skills for retail workers, including iii. a commitment to positive procurement to through union learning and high-quality support foundation industries, such as the use apprenticeships of UK steel for the next generation of RN fleet iii. reform of tax law to level the playing field support ships between online and bricks-andmortar retailers iv. strategic support so the UK remains a world iv. stronger corporate governance rules, to leader in emerging technologies, such as prevent asset-stripping electric vehicles iv. action to curb excessive CEO pay, to close the v. high-quality apprenticeships and an urgent gap with the lowest paid workers and ensure review of the apprenticeship levy to close that business failure cannot be rewarded with bonuses 5 Section 1: Congress decisions v. a legal right to collective consultation on the iv. lobby government to deliver a robust trade implementation of new technology in defence regime to protect our industry from workplaces steel dumping after we leave the EU vi. a review of the law on redundancy, to remove v. continue to support the Save Our Steel the loophole that allows large chains to avoid campaign. consulting over small sites Community vii. every alternative to job losses to be explored, including the option of reducing working 4 Local casting hours, while protecting workers’ take-home On-screen talent is currently excluded from the pay. regulator Ofcom’s criteria for a television Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers production to qualify under its regional production guidance. “Regional” includes productions that are 3 Save Our Steel currently badged as being produced in one of the Congress recognises the ongoing steel crisis is UK’s nations. driven by global overcapacity and policies of the The intention of the Ofcom regional production Westminster Conservative government that force guidance, which arose from the Communications our industry to compete at a disadvantage. Act 2003 is to ”support and strengthen the nations’ Congress notes that our steel industry and supply and regions’ production sector”. Congress agrees chains as well as the wider manufacturing sector with this intention and believes that the are constrained by the absence of an effective UK- performing workforce is as crucial to a strong wide industrial strategy. production sector as other personnel and inputs Congress notes the recently imposed 25 per involved in productions. cent tariffs on US steel imports and the devastating Film and television production is heavily impact this could have on the UK steel industry concentrated in London and the South East of and British jobs. Congress is clear the US tariffs England. Performers based in the UK’s