Brighton, September 8(HS):

Paul Nowak, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), has called upon the UK Labour government to demonstrate clearly “whose side it is on” following a recent cabinet reshuffle. Addressing the TUC’s annual conference in Brighton, Nowak criticized the government for the disconnect between Labour’s promise of change in the last election and the lived experiences of many working-class communities.

Nowak urged Labour ministers to make the “right political choices” by delivering on the manifesto commitments, including lifting the two-child benefit cap—financed by new wealth taxes—as a way to support families struggling with poverty. He stressed that delivering enhanced workers’ rights and decent public services must be priorities to restore confidence in the government among its voter base.

Echoing these sentiments, Sharon Graham, leader of the Unite union, warned that Labour risks losing support both politically and financially. She revealed plans that could lead to Unite members voting on whether to sever the union’s long-standing affiliation with Labour, which currently contributes around £1.3 million annually. Graham expressed concerns that unless Labour undertakes radical measures, voters may shift to Reform UK and other parties.

Meanwhile, Christina McAnea, leader of the UK’s largest union Unison, cautioned that weakening the Employment Rights Bill—a major reform on workers’ protections—would be a “huge mistake.” The bill encompasses protections against unfair dismissal and bans exploitative zero-hours contracts, yet its implementation is threatened by ongoing cabinet changes.

Labour insists it is progressing with the “biggest uplift in workers’ rights in a generation,” highlighting rising wages outpacing inflation and a government focused on “delivery, delivery, delivery,” as emphasized by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Nevertheless, unions remain watchful, demanding concrete actions to translate promises into tangible improvements for working people across the country.

—————

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar