Tag: TUC

PRESS RELEASE : Inflation – Ministers must come forward with credible public sector pay offers [January 2023]

The press release issued by the TUC on 18 January 2023.

Commenting on today’s (Wednesday) inflation data, which show CPI inflation at 10.5% and RPI inflation at 13.4%, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:

“Inflation remains higher than the pay rises most workers are getting. And far higher than the pay offers Rishi Sunak is trying to force onto millions of workers without fair negotiations.

“Instead of rushing in unfair and unworkable laws that attack the right to strike, ministers should be fully focused on public sector pay negotiations. It’s taking far too long for them to come to the table with credible offers.”

February 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Pay disputes must be resolved at the negotiating table, says TUC [January 2023]

The press release issued by the TUC on 17 January 2023.

Commenting on today’s (Tuesday) labour market figures, which show real wages falling at an annual rate of 3.8% in November (on CPI measure), TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:

“Workers have been losing hundreds of pounds from their annual pay over the last year. But in the public sector, Conservative ministers are dragging their heels on meaningful negotiations. That’s why staff have had no choice but to use their right to strike to defend their pay.

“The Conservative government will not resolve pay disputes by rushing in new laws that attack the right to strike. The best way to settle disputes is around the negotiating table – and with credible pay offers that protect workers from rising prices.”

February 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Independent watchdog criticises government for failing to produce impact assessment for new anti-strike curbs [January 2023]
The press release issued by the TUC on 16 January 2023.
- TUC warns MPs are “voting blind” following government failure to publish impact assessment for anti-strikes bill
A government-appointed body has today (Monday) criticised the government for failing to provide MPs with an impact assessment on its new Minimum Service Level bill, which is in parliament for its second reading today.

If passed, the bill will mean that when workers democratically and lawfully vote to strike in health, education, fire, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning, they can be forced to work and sacked if they don’t comply.

The TUC has slammed the “draconian legislation” as “an attack on the fundamental right to strike”.

In a statement, the Regulatory Policy Committee – a group of independent experts brought together by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to examine the impact of regulation on business and civil society – said:

Government departments are expected to submit IAs to the RPC before the relevant bill is laid before Parliament and in time for the RPC to issue an opinion alongside the publication of the IA.

An IA for this Bill has not yet been submitted for RPC scrutiny; nor has one been published despite the Bill being currently considered by Parliament.

The TUC has accused the government of attempting to “railroad through” the new controversial legislation without proper consultation or scrutiny.

The TUC is calling on MPs of all parties to reject this spiteful legislation, which it says is “shortcutting” normal scrutiny procedures.

New sweeping powers

The bill gives ministers “sweeping new powers” to impose new minimum service levels through regulation – which could come into force as early as this summer.

But consultations on how these regulations will work have not been published, and parliamentarians have been given no detail on how minimum service levels are intended to operate – and the government has not yet published an impact assessment for the bill.

The TUC says the new legislation will “do nothing” to solve the current disputes across the public sector.

The impact assessment for the previous transport bill, published in Autumn but now superseded by the current legislation, warns that minimum service levels could poison industrial relations – leading to more frequent industrial action.

And the Government has failed to produce a fresh impact assessment for the new bill, which will cover a wider range of sectors.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:

“It’s shameful that MPs are being asked to vote blind on a bill that will have far-reaching consequences for millions of workers.

“The government is deliberately railroading through this spiteful legislation to avoid proper parliamentary scrutiny.

“Make no mistake – this bill is a fundamental attack on the right to strike that will force workers across the public sector to cross picket lines or face the sack.

“And it will do nothing to solve the current disputes across the economy – but only make matters worse.

“This draconian legislation is undemocratic, unworkable and almost certainly illegal.

“Workers are facing a living standards emergency. With inflation running at over 10%, the last thing they need is for ministers to make it harder to secure better pay and conditions.

“This is a naked power grab – no matter how ministers try and spin it.

“Instead of scheming up new ways to attack the right to strike, ministers should get pay rising across the economy – starting with a decent pay rise for workers across the public sector.”
February 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : TUC accuses government of attempting to “steamroller” through “draconian” bill to attack the right to strike [January 2023]
The press release issued by the TUC on 16 January 2023.
- Spiteful legislation is a “full-frontal attack” on the right to strike, says TUC
- Government “shortcutting” scrutiny with new bill, union body warns
The TUC has accused the government of attempting to “steamroller” through new draconian legislation which attacks the fundamental right to strike without proper consultation or scrutiny.

The minimum service levels bill is back in parliament today (Monday) for its second reading, and would give ministers sweeping new powers that restrict the right to strike.

If passed, it will mean that when workers democratically and lawfully vote to strike in health, education, fire, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning, they can be forced to work and sacked if they don’t comply.

The TUC is calling on MPs of all parties to reject this spiteful legislation, which it says is “shortcutting” normal scrutiny procedures.

The bill gives ministers power to impose new minimum service levels through regulation. But consultations on how these regulations will work have not been published, and parliamentarians have been given no detail on how minimum service levels are intended to operate – and the government has not yet published an impact assessment for the bill.

The TUC says the new legislation will “do nothing” to solve the current disputes across the public sector, and “only make matters worse”.

The impact assessment published in Autumn alongside the government’s previous Bill, aiming to set minimum service levels in transport, shows how minimum service levels could poison industrial relations – lengthening disputes and leading to more frequent industrial action.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:

“This draconian bill is a full-frontal attack on the right to strike – and the government is trying to steamroller it through parliament, without proper consultation or scrutiny.

“This spiteful legislation would mean that when workers democratically vote to strike, they can be forced to work and sacked if they don’t comply.

“Make no mistake – this is undemocratic, unworkable and likely illegal.

“And it will do nothing to solve the current disputes across the economy – but only make matters worse.

“Workers are facing a living standards emergency. But with inflation running at over 10%, ministers are making it harder for working people to secure better pay and conditions.

“It’s time the government got its priorities straight.

“Instead of scheming up new ways to attack the right to strike, ministers should get pay rising across the economy – starting with a decent pay rise for workers across the public sector.”
February 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Holding down pay is putting our economy in a doom loop, says TUC [January 2023]

The press release issued by the TUC on 13 January 2023.

Commenting on today’s (Friday) GDP data, which shows growth declining 0.3 per cent in the three months to November, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:

“People’s living standards have already plummeted. And now falling GDP is putting jobs and businesses at risk. But there is little sign that Rishi Sunak’s government has any kind of plan to get our economy quickly back to growth.

“We urgently need workers to have more spending power to help the UK bounce back from decline. But instead, ministers are going all out to hold down pay. That’s only going to make a bad situation worse and keep us in a doom loop.”

February 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Our right to strike is under attack [February 2023]

The press release issued by the TUC on 10 January 2023.

This government has gone from clapping key workers to threatening them with the sack if they take lawful action for a pay rise. That’s wrong and almost certainly illegal. We need to take action now.

Rishi Sunak has detailed his anti-union legislation and plans to introduce new laws in the coming weeks.

It means that when workers democratically vote to strike, they could be forced to work and sacked if they don’t. That’s wrong, unworkable, and almost certainly illegal.

These new laws are a direct attack on working people’s fundamental right to strike to defend their pay, terms and conditions.

Instead of listening to the concerns of working people and negotiating fair deals, Rishi Sunak has decided to undermine the right to strike.

Every working person is under attack from these new laws.

Add your name and join the campaign. We must defend the right to strike.

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to hurt workers everywhere, we need to be able to stand together and choose to strike when we must. These laws will do nothing to fix this crisis – they will make it even harder for working people to get pay rises.

The change we need will not come from a petition, but if tens of thousands sign today it will show how many of us are ready to fight these unjust laws.

February 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Attacking the right to strike does nothing to resolve current disputes [January 2023]

The press release issued by the TUC on 5 January 2023.

Responding to today’s (Thursday) attack on the right to strike to defend workers’ pay and conditions, the TUC has said that the Prime Minister should concentrate on fixing our public services, not attacking public sector staff.

The union body says that the proposed legislation would make it harder for disputes to be resolved.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:

“This is an attack on the right to strike. It’s an attack on working people. And it’s an attack on one of our longstanding British liberties.

“It means that when workers democratically vote to strike, they can be forced to work and sacked if they don’t. That’s wrong, unworkable, and almost certainly illegal.

“The announcement offers nothing more to help with this year’s pay and the cost of living crisis.

“The only offer of talks is for next year. But we need to resolve the current disputes and boost the pay of public sector workers now.

“The Prime Minister said yesterday his door is always open – if he’s serious, he should prove it. He should take up my offer to get around the table to improve this year’s pay and end the current disputes.

“There is a world of difference between promises of jam tomorrow with technical discussions about pay review bodies, and proper negotiations on pay in the here and now.

“Our public services are already deep in a staffing crisis. But this government has gone from clapping key workers to threatening them with the sack if they take lawful action for a pay rise. It will only push more people away from essential jobs in public services, harming the whole nation.”

On the trade union campaigning to defend the right to strike, Paul added:

“Trade unions will fight this every step of the way. We’re inviting every worker – public and private sector, and everyone who wants to protect British liberties -to be a part of our campaign to defend the right to strike.”

February 5, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New TUC leader calls for urgent meeting with Rishi Sunak to help resolve public sector disputes [January 2023]
The press release issued by the TUC on 3 January 2023.

TUC head calls on PM to change approach, and urges ministers to work constructively with unions
Paul Nowak says staffing crises in health and education will get worse unless public service staff get a fair pay deal

Nowak is ready to “clear his diary” to find a resolution

The new General Secretary of the TUC Paul Nowak has today (Wednesday) called for an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister and a change in government direction that permits ministers to open pay negotiations with unions to resolve disputes.

In a letter to Rishi Sunak, Nowak highlights the need for urgent pay negotiations:

“Our public services are in crisis after years of underfunding and understaffing. We can’t solve these problems without a fair deal for the people on the frontline.

“Every month experienced employees are quitting, with one in three public service staff now taking steps to leave their professions or actively considering it.

“This is simply unsustainable.

“But we cannot fix the staffing crisis in our schools, hospitals and elsewhere if we do not fix the underlying causes.

“That means talking in an open and constructive way about improving public sector pay. But so far your ministers have refused to negotiate directly about pay with unions.”

Highlighting the need for the government to change approach, Nowak says:

“Unions worked closely with you during the pandemic to deliver the furlough scheme and to protect millions of jobs.

“That’s the kind of mature approach we need now.

“Unions have already made clear their willingness to sit down with the government and talk about boosting pay. But while your ministers continue to refuse point blank to discuss improving wages, there can be no resolution.

“In the NHS, for example, appropriate structures already exist to allow the immediate start of pay negotiations involving health unions, employers and ministers. This was exactly what happened in 2018, leading to the three-year wage deal.

“We want to find a resolution to the current disputes so our public service staff can get on with doing the jobs they love. And so our public services can start to improve for everyone who relies on them.”
Editors note

The full letter reads:

Dear Prime Minister.

I’m writing to you today to ask for an urgent meeting.

Public sector workers don’t want to be out on strike this winter. They care passionately about their vocations and the communities they serve.

But they have been left with no choice.

Ambulance staff, physiotherapists, teachers and millions of others have seen their living standards decimated by over a decade of pay cuts and wage freezes.

And with inflation north of 10 per cent, they simply cannot afford another real-terms pay cut.

Our public services are in crisis after years of underfunding and understaffing. We can’t solve these problems without a fair deal for the people on the frontline.

Every month experienced employees are quitting, with one in three public service staff now taking steps to leave their professions or actively considering it.

This is simply unsustainable.

But we cannot fix the staffing crisis in our schools, hospitals and elsewhere if we do not fix the underlying causes.

That means talking in an open and constructive way about improving public sector pay. But so far your ministers have refused to negotiate directly about pay with unions.

Unions worked closely with you during the pandemic to deliver the furlough scheme and to protect millions of jobs.

That’s the kind of mature approach we need now.

Unions have already made clear their willingness to sit down with the government and talk about boosting pay. But while your ministers continue to refuse point blank to discuss improving wages, there can be no resolution.

In the NHS, for example, appropriate structures already exist to allow the immediate start of pay negotiations involving health unions, employers and ministers. This was exactly what happened in 2018, leading to the three-year wage deal.

We want to find a resolution to the current disputes so our public service staff can get on with doing the jobs they love. And so our public services can start to improve for everyone who relies on them.

I urge with you to meet with us as soon as possible and allow your ministers to adopt new approaches to resolving the public sector pay disputes.

Paul Nowak – TUC General Secretary

– TUC polling published in the autumn revealed that around one third of key workers in the public sector (32%) have already taken steps to leave their profession to get a job in another field or are actively considering it.

– About the TUC: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together the 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.
February 5, 2023
Trades Union Congress – 2022 Comments on the Australia Trade Bill
The comments made by the Trades Union Congress on 10 March 2022.
Written evidence from Trades Union Congress (TUC)

Introduction

The TUC exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together more than 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions.
1. The TUC welcomed the opportunity to provide oral evidence to the International Trade Committee’s enquiry into the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on 2 March 2022.
2. This submission supplements the oral evidence the TUC provided to the Committee, providing more detail on issues that were highlighted in the session.
Involvement of trade unions
1. When negotiations started between Australia and the UK, the TUC released a joint position with our Australian counterpart the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). [1] This statement called for UK and Australian governments to involve trade unions in negotiations to ensure that the agreement contained the key protections working people needed, including:
- enforceable commitments to ratify and respect International Labour Organisation core conventions on labour rights, including for migrant workers
- protections for all public services through a complete exclusion of all public services including such as health, education and transport; opening public services – using the ‘positive list’ approach
- protections for personal data
- exclusion of all kinds of special courts for foreign investors such as Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) or the Investment Court System (ICS), which allow foreign investors to sue governments for actions that are perceived to threaten their profits
1. In June 2021, the TUC and ACTU released a follow up statement expressing concern that trade unions had been excluded from negotiations and the Agreement in Principle between the UK and Australia did not suggest the final agreement would have the protections unions were calling for. [2] These fears were confirmed when the final agreement was published.
2. The TUC issued a statement on the publication of the final agreement in December 2021. [3] This stated that the deal posed a threat to workers, due to the fact it:
- contained no effective mechanism to enforce respect for fundamental International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions – the agreement follows a similar approach to the Comprehensive and Progressive Transpacific Partnership (CPTPP) which has been condemned by trade union internationally for being ineffective to use in practice [4]
- contained no protections for migrant workers’ rights in the mobility provisions
- contained commitments to liberalise cross-border flows of data which could mean regulations to protect personal data from abuse and being used in a discriminatory way would have to be removed
- contained inadequate exemptions for public services – using the ‘negative list’ approach – which could lock part-privatised services into privatisation
1. The TUC calls on the government to meaningfully consult trade unions on all its ongoing trade negotiations to ensure that they contain the protections working people need.
Gender
1. The TUC believes it is crucial for trade agreements to prevent gender discrimination, promote decent jobs for women and protect quality public services. It is crucial for trade unions to be involved in negotiations to ensure these outcomes.
2. The TUC is concerned that the commitments to gender equality in the UK-Australia trade deal will not be effective in promoting gender equality as they are not accompanied by effective enforcement mechanisms. Furthermore, the fact the Labour chapter of the agreement does not require Parties to ratify and respect all the fundamental ILO conventions means that Parties are not required to ratify and uphold convention 111 on non-discrimination which is central to addressing gender inequalities. As noted above, the TUC is also concerned the UK-Australia FTA does not contain adequate exemptions for public services as it takes a negative list approach. This means part-privatised services could be locked into privatisation. This will particularly negatively impact on women as they are disproportionately likely to be caregivers relying on public services.
3. The failure to involve trade unions in UK-Australia negotiations meant that trade unions were not able to advise the government on how the tariff offers and other provisions in the agreement would affect women workers.
4. The TUC is concerned that a number of trade agreements and trade arrangements negotiated without trade union involvement have increased gender inequalities. For example, the North America Free Trade Agreement signed in 1993 displaced women from stable jobs with good conditions in the manufacturing sector in the US. The agreement also displaced women from stable jobs in agriculture in Mexico. The European Parliament reports that poverty increased in female headed households by 50 per cent between 1992 – 2000. [5]
5. Furthermore, it is well documented that tariff-free areas that have been established in a number of countries to process exports (Export Processing Zones) are sites where mostly women are employed on exploitative terms. [6] Workers have less protections in these zones with trade unions are frequently banned, as in Export Processing Zones in Bangladesh. [7]
ISDS
1. While the UK-Australia agreement does not contain an Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism, the TUC is concerned that the UK government intends to join CPTPP which contains ISDS. Unless the UK government asks for an opt-out from the ISDS provisions with all CPTPP members, the UK would be subject to this ISDS system. The TUC is concerned the government has not indicated to date that it will ask for such an opt-out.
2. If the UK is bound by ISDS provisions in CPTPP, it would mean investors based in all CPTPP countries, including Australia, would be able to sue the government for actions that they perceive threaten their profits. In the past, ISDS cases have been brought against governments that attempted to increase the national minimum wage or renationalise water supplies. [8]
March 2022
[1] https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-09/ACTU_NZCTU_TUC_Statement_UK_Trade_Talks_p3.pdf

[2] https://www.tuc.org.uk/australian-and-uk-unions-statement-uk-australia-trade-deal

[3] https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-uk-aus-deal-poses-threat-working-people-while-contributing-almost-nothing-our-economy

[4] https://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/trans_pacific.pdf

[5] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/571388/IPOL_STU(2016)571388_EN.pdf

[6] https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/export-processing-zones-symbols-of-exploitation-and-a-development-dead-end/

[7] https://www.globalrightsindex.org/en/2021

[8] https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jun/10/obscure-legal-system-lets-corportations-sue-states-ttip-icsid
January 15, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rail Dispute – Open Letter from Welsh Government and the Wales TUC [December 2022]

The press release issued by the TUC on 16 December 2022.

The Welsh Government and the Wales TUC have today published a joint letter calling on the UK Government to learn from the approach taken in Wales and to allow the rail companies to negotiate a deal that is fair and acceptable to workers.

In the open letter, the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters, has said:

“Due to the confrontational attitude towards industrial relations displayed by this UK Government, the UK-wide rail dispute is having a knock-on impact on rail services operated by Transport for Wales, and passengers continue to face severe disruption as a result.”

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “We welcome this intervention from the Welsh Government.

“The fact that we have been able to reach agreements with rail companies where the Welsh and Scottish Government governments have responsibility clearly shows that it is the actions of the UK government that is blocking a resolution to the UK wide rail disputes.”

Shavanah Taj, Wales TUC General Secretary, said: “The UK Government’s decision to block a resolution to the rail disputes is harming Wales’s economy. Welsh Government and the national rail operator (Transport for Wales) have successfully negotiated a settlement – the UK Government must now follow their lead.

The full text of the letter is below.

Rail dispute between RMT and Network Rail and UK train operating companies

The Welsh Government wants to see an end to the long-running dispute between the RMT and Network Rail and the UK Government-controlled train operating companies.

On Transport for Wales services, rail workers have voted to accept a negotiated fair pay offer, which has not been conditional on cuts to staffing and services.

However, due to the confrontational attitude towards industrial relations displayed by this UK Government, the UK-wide rail dispute is having a knock-on impact on rail services operated by Transport for Wales, and passengers continue to face severe disruption as a result.

To protect business, passengers, and rail workers, it is imperative that the UK Government acts quickly to bring this dispute to an end.

It can do this by learning lessons from the collaborative, social partnership approach adopted in Wales and allow the rail companies and RMT to negotiate a deal that is fair and acceptable to Network Rail employees and employees of the UK train operating companies.

December 23, 2022