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Northern Regional TUC 2009 |
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NORTHERN REGIONAL TRADES UNION CONGRESS
During the course of the year the Regional TUC has been much preoccupied with the impact of economic crisis. In January 2009 it organised “Crunch Talks: a Trade Union Economic Summit”, with UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis among the speakers. At the Annual Conference in May there were composites and other motions dealing with various aspects of the crisis, but nothing controversial. Indeed, the only motion in this area which challenged the economic orthodoxy of New Labour, specifically the one on the People’s Charter from UCU, was ruled out of order because it demanded nationalisation of the banks and this was not national TUC policy! Of course, the Annual Congress of the TUC in September did turn that round by overwhelmingly endorsing the People’s Charter, so it should now be regional policy as well.
There is much good work done by the Regional TUC, on combating racism and fascism, on building solidarity with the peoples of Colombia, Sierra Leone, Cuba, Palestine and Burma, on raising equality issues and on supporting workers in struggle, such as the CWU members at Royal Mail last year. However, the many motions passed at the Conference amount to something of a wish-list as there is little action prescribed to back them up. This is reflected in the Work Programme, which is now so devoid of detail as to mean all things to all people. Furthermore, as at the national TUC, there is a somewhat blinkered perspective on the European Union, seeing it as a means of defending workers’ rights when in fact the EU is the main threat, through the posted workers’ directive and European Court of Justice decisions in the Viking, Laval, Ruffert and Luxemburg cases.
Trades councils will not change the TUC – only the affiliated unions have the strength and influence to do that. But, as the recession continues to bite, and the promised public spending cuts take hold, trade unions and trades councils will need to work together to defend jobs, services and communities, and to campaign vigorously for different solutions.
MARTIN LEVY
(UCU Northumbria University)
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Welcome 
Northern Regional TUC 2009 
