Wishing you all a safe and peaceful Christmas

Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy reflects back on a difficult year and shares his Christmas message with our members.

It is no exaggeration to say that this has been the most challenging year that many of us will have ever experienced.

Since March, our professional and personal lives have been turned upside down by the pandemic. Too many people have lost loved ones far too soon; many more will have suffered physical and mental ill-health and are still battling hard.

I wish to express my deepest sympathies and condolences to all those who suffered bereavements through this harrowing year.

As your union, Prospect has been particularly concerned about the struggles faced by our members in the hardest hit areas of the economy, such as the aviation, heritage and creative sectors, and by our freelance and self-employed members.

More widely, we have all needed to make adjustments and carry extra burdens, whether it was remote working, juggling home and work pressures, or worries about job security.

But, in this worst of years, we have also shown ourselves at our best.

I am extremely proud of the way we have supported and stood up for our members. I am especially thankful for our phenomenal reps – our very own frontline heroes – and the sterling work that they do.

We have demonstrated the true value of Prospect in the most difficult circumstances. We will never stop standing up and speaking up for our members at work.

It goes beyond our legal protection or our expert advice; Prospect is also about unity, solidarity and community. This would not be possible without every single one of our members playing their part. Thank you.

This will be a difficult and strange festive break. But, as the vaccine programme is gradually rolled out, there are grounds for optimism that better times are not too far away.

If 2020 was about weathering the worst of the storm, then 2021 will be about how we can rebuild, and how it is achieved so that the economy is better and fairer for everyone. Rest assured that Prospect will be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our members every step of the way.

I wish you all a safe and peaceful Christmas, and a happy new year.