TUC Young Members Conference

Well I’m currently speeding up to the north west to speak at NUS Conference at a UNISON sponsored fringe (which I’m sure I will be blogging all about) and thought I’d let you know the goss from the TUC Young Members Conference at the weekend (Well not all the goss as I’m discrete but you know who you are!).

The conference ran from Friday to Sunday with delegates from different TUC affiliated trade unions, differing in size based on membership. UNISON had a great delegation of Stuart Reeves, Sarah Lewis, Matthew Egan, Karen Reid, Daniel Robertson, Jodi Rule, Amy Griffiths, Raymond Owens and me. I would like to thank them all for their excellent contribution throughout the weekend and I believe the whole delegation did UNISON proud.

The policy bit of the conference consisted of four statements submitted by the TUC Young Members Forum (after submissions from affiliates) for which there were policy workshops lead by TUC staff and then opportunity for delegations to submit amendments which were debated and voted on in the final session. The statements were on Housing, Apprenticeships and the NMW, Global Unionism, and Organising Young Workers. The UNISON delegation decided to submit a number of amendments which strengthened the statements.

The key issue for debate was within the Apprenticeships and the NMW statement, which originally called for the minimum payment for apprentices to increase to £110 a week, which is broadly in line with the youth rate of the NMW. All delegations were agreed that this should go further and that our policy should be for full inclusion in an equal national minimum wage. I’m glad to say that after a comprehensive discussion the conference voted to back the UNISON amendment which left in the bit about increasing the rate to £110 but stated, ‘That while this would be progress, conference demands that apprentices are brought within the National Minimum Wage and calls on the General Council to campaign for an equal National Minimum Wage for all.’ The conference also passed an amendment which was submitted by the GMB, and supported by the UNISON delegation, criticising the TUC General Council for failing to support the position of the Young Members Conference on minimum wage rates for young people. The General Council’s position remains a difficulty, and I will be discussing this with our members of it to see what progress can be made.

The statements now go forward to the TUC General Council, I look forward to hearing their comments.