ATL

TUC 2009: Wednesday

Highlights of the third day of the Trades Union Congress 2009 from ATL delegates Ralph Surman and Andy Brown

Employment and the economy

The Women's TUC expressed deep concern at the impact the economic downturn will have on vulnerable women, including pregnant workers and single parents in temporary and agency work.

Manufacturing and procurement

Unions recognised the important contribution that the government's procurement strategy will play in the maintenance of the UK manufacturing sector. The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union suggested that the government needed to provide support to manufacturing to save jobs, revitalise the economy, build affordable housing and assist workers struggling to pay mortgages.

Environment and energy

The National Union of Mineworkers raised a number of issues linked to indigenous coal reserves. The TUC requested that the government give serious consideration to the exploitation of these reserves.

The BACM-TEAM introduced a debate on the replacement of coal-fired power stations and clean coal technology. They applauded the work of the TUC Clean Coal Task Group in identifying the role for clean coal technology as part of the solution to the problem of climate change. They also welcomed the announcement that the government is to scale up its programme on clean coal. However, there were concerns that new coal capacity will not be approved until carbon capture and storage is proved. The General Council was asked to press the government.

Transport

Unions condemned redundancies in rail companies. The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association raised concerns at the impact that Network Rail and London Underground's engineering maintenance strategies was having on workers elsewhere in the industry.

The TUC welcomed the government's commitment to rail freight but was alarmed that the industry is suffering from the impact of both a reduction in the core traffic derived from infrastructure work and a decline in commercial traffic as a result of the economic downturn.

The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) urged the Secretary of State to support to the rail freight sector during the downturn.

Posted Workers Directive

UNITE noted the programme of work needed if the government is to meet the commitments contained in its energy policy. They urged the government to take all necessary steps in order to establish a level playing field for all contractors engaged in the UK engineering construction industry.

Temporary and agency workers

Julia Neal spoke alongside the GMB, UNITE, CWU on behalf of ATL. Overall, the TUC welcomes adoption of the EU Temporary Agency Workers' Directive giving long overdue rights and protections to a growing number of vulnerable workers, and will work with the government to ensure robust and effective implementation and early enactment of these rights in the UK.

NASUWT, UCATT, UCU spoke about the enforcement of fair and safe employment rights. They asserted that all workers have a fundamental right to basic legal protections in every workplace, regardless of size. Concerns were raised that statutory enforcement agencies are under resourced and lack the capacity needed to tackle problems.