Sue Ferns ends year as TUC President with a speech to Congress

Prospect Senior Deputy General Secretary Sue Ferns’s year-long tenure as President of the TUC comes to an end this week with a speech to TUC congress in Brighton.
It has been an extremely busy and important year for trade unionists as we battle the current government’s agenda and seek to get the best for our members in difficult economic times.

In her speech to Congress, the first in person for three years, Sue paid tribute to Prospect members:
“The air traffic controllers keeping our skies safe. Our members keeping the BBC on air in the face of threats to the future of public service broadcasting. Scientists tackling our climate emergency. Energy workers supplying our homes, schools and hospitals despite the extreme weather events across the seasons.”

Sue paid special tribute to civil servants, those who got us through the pandemic and dealt with Brexit, those who found out via a newspaper that Liz Truss was planning to cut 91k jobs:
“Together we are strong. Together we are united. And together we will fight for our members every step of the way.”

Sue talked about the important of a Just Transition from a high to a low carbon economy, protecting workers, skills and capacity. She also talked about the challenges trade unionists are facing, some not too different to those of the Tolpuddle Martyrs:
“Bad bosses. Insecure work. A government that serves wealth, but attacks labour.”

She referenced the industrial action many are taking across the economy, a necessary step to address the cost of living crisis and the risible pay rises so many workers are being offered.
‘Rail workers, bus drivers, posties, NHS staff, teachers and many others across the economy are joining together to send a clear message.

“We know it’s not wages that are driving up inflation.  But where’s the scrutiny of profits and bonuses? No more real term cuts – we demand fair pay now.”

Sue addressed some of the key priorities of her presidency, tackling harassment and gender inequality:

“All decent trade unionists share an interest in preventing harassment of any kind. No woman, or man, should suffer in silence.

“And when harassment happens, let’s commit to take action to call it out, stop it, once and for all.”

She closed by referencing the great strides made towards gender equality in labour movement, paying particular tribute to Frances O’Grady as she ends her period as TUC General Secretary:

“You have been a brilliant general secretary. Thank you for everything that you have achieved for working people. You may have been our first woman general secretary, but mark my words, you will not be the last.”

As President of the TUC Sue’s particular focus was on getting the best deal for union members, particularly for women, in the post Covid-19 world; ensuring a Just Transition for workers as we move to a greener economy; and on closing the gender pay and gender pension gaps so that women can be rewarded fairly, even after they retire, for the work that they do.