Winning for members in a challenging time

I write this piece on International Workers’ Day – when we commemorate the contribution of workers and recall how progress at work has been won. Many challenges have been overcome due to the enduring collective power of trade unions. But we also pause to reflect on what we have yet to achieve.

This year, May Day falls at a challenging time for everyone – but, in the spirit of International Workers’ Day, we have in recent weeks secured some important wins for our members and raised the profile of the entire union, including across the Bectu sector.

Our achievements

We lobbied the Treasury, forcing them to allow people whose contracts were coming to an end to be furloughed.

Thousands of people were excluded from the furlough scheme because the cut-off date for being on payroll was 28 February – with our lobbying, that was pushed back to 19 March, giving thousands of people an income during this period.

Self-employed workers were initially ignored in government support schemes – our campaigning ensured that the government introduced the Self-employment Income Support Scheme – and we won’t stop campaigning for those who are still not included.

We secured 100% furlough wages for staff at a number of museums, who were caught in a tug-of-war between the Treasury and Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

It’s been a tough time for the aviation industry, but we’re still getting results for members, such as furlough agreements and helping control the spread of coronavirus.

We championed union reps, as the backbone of our workplaces, to be able to continue their duties if furloughed to help us get through this crisis – yesterday, the government agreed.

Still more to do

While we have had a number of key successes, our hard work is far from over. With an end to the lockdown in sight, we must start turning our attention to what happens next.

There are critical questions that need answering with regards helping the economy get back on its feet, protecting jobs, and ensuring that people are able to stay safe at work and on their journey there.

Rest assured, our lobbying of government on behalf of our members will continue at the same pace that we’ve approached the last few weeks.

We cannot do this without your support – having the backing of 147,500 members means our voice gets heard.

If you or a friend or colleague is concerned about the time ahead, our message is clear: now is the time to join your union. By joining Bectu, they’ll get the support they need at work, and they’ll strengthen the union’s voice as a whole.

Mike Clancy is general secretary of Prospect