Resolution: Trades Union Congress

This resolution did not pass.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) brings together 48 trade unions in England and Wales, with a combined total membership of around 5.5 million.

The TUC brings unions together to develop and further policies on issues such as employment, employment law and equality. It campaigns, lobbies and engages with government on economic and social issues and represents workers’ interests on international bodies, including the European TUC, the International TUC and the International Labour Organisation. TUC policy is set by the annual TUC Congress but responsibility for day-to-day planning and organisation lies with the TUC General Council and the General Secretary.

Larger unions are automatically represented on the General Council, with seats for smaller unions allocated under a ballot process. The three largest affiliates by member size are UNISON (1.4 million), Unite (1.3 million) and GMB (500,000).

All health unions represented on the NHS Staff Council, apart from the British Medical Association (BMA), are affiliates. The current affiliation fee is 304p per member per year.

Affiliate unions with members working in the public sector belong to the Public Services Forum (PSF), a tripartite body of unions, government and public service employers which discusses issues related to public service improvement and workforce development. 

A similar arrangement to the PSF is currently being developed for unions with members working in social care. 

There are also reserved seats for women and black workers and a reserved space for one representative each of young workers, workers with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers.

The TUC is seen as the voice of the union movement in the UK and plays a central role in representing working peoples’ interests across a range of areas including the economy, pension provision, health, safety and wellbeing at work, public service delivery and employment; equality, diversity and inclusion; employment rights as well as the rights of retired and unemployed people. The TUC played a pivotal role in negotiating the furlough scheme with the government at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although some unions are affiliated to the Labour Party, the TUC is not, and seeks to build constructive relationships with the government and opposition parties, as well as employer representatives and civil society organisations.

The RCN works closely with Wales TUC Cymru, an integral part of the TUC of England and Wales. Wales TUC Cymru has its own Congress and General Council and represents 48 Trade Unions in Wales. There are separate TUC structures in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, unions affiliate to the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU). In Scotland trade unions affiliate to the Scottish TUC (STUC). 

Reading list for this debate available at rcn.libguides.com/congress2023.