Five CSP delegates joined hundreds of trade unionists at the leading trade union conference at the 155th annual TUC Congress, held in Liverpool, 10-13 September.
CSP regional steward and chair of employment committee, Jill Taylor, kicked off the CSP contributions in her rousing speech about the damage to the public and patients due to the disinvestment in public services.
In her speech, Jill said:
Health and care services and their workers are on their knees. Unable to adequately meet the challenges of today…with an ageing population and the rise of complex, long-term conditions bearing down on all of us.
She went onto focus on the impact of health inequalities on life expectancy. Stressing the impact of important factors post-code lotteries and levelling up agendas have on access to healthcare.
Jill joined several unions including UNISON, the Royal College of Midwives, and the Rail and Maritime Workers in calling for urgent and significant investment in public services. The motion was passed unanimously.
Stress, burnout and work-related ill health
Next in line to speak on behalf of CSP members at the annual policy making conference, was regional steward, Helen Fitzgerald.
In her speech, Helen highlighted that over a third of NHS physiotherapy staff feel burnt out from their work, with a further 40 per cent having experienced work-related stress in the previous year.
She went onto call for ‘workers to be brought to the heart of health and safety risk assessment and decision-making processes alongside clear, top-level commitments to take a positive and constructive approach to union negotiations.’
The motion was passed unanimously.
No place for prejudice and discrimination in our workplaces
TUC President Maria Exall, spoke about her year in her role as president and her commitment to trade unionism and equality.
Maria said: ‘We bring people together with respect and solidarity. Unity is strength, an injury to one is an injury to all.
‘We are calling for all trade unions to support the TUC Anti-Racism Taskforce, Sexual Harassment Working Party and the Trade Unions for Trans Rights Alliance.
'Every working person is entitled to be treated with dignity.’
A moment for us to come together
Closing the first day of Congress, president of the American AFL-CIO union, Liz Schuler, spoke about the power of internationalism.
She said: ‘From Los Angeles to Liverpool, we have the same shared struggles within trade unions across the Atlantic, and internationally.
‘Issues such as the rising cost of living, job insecurity, worries about the future, and lack of power in the workplace.'
Schuler stood in solidarity with the British trade union movement against the Minimum Service Levels Bill, affecting the right to strike.’
She also spoke about the attacks on trade union organising, and the impact of artificial intelligence across many sectors in the US.
‘As global unions, we have a symbiotic relationship,’ she said. ‘This is a moment for us to come together, learn together and grow.’
Find out more about TUC Congress 2023
- Watch Congress live
- Follow on Twitter / X: @thecsp #TUC23
- Interested in becoming a Safety rep or Steward? E-mail our Organisers
- If you are a CSP member and are interested in being part of the CSP delegation to future TUC conferences, get in touch with National Officer Siân Caulfield
- Explore Congress 2023
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