• JEREMY Corbyn said in his Scottish TUC speech that he cherishes his party’s relationship with the trade union movement and the workers they represent – and under his leadership the party will “never, ever, apologise” for this closeness.

It is great to have a leader who is proud of the party’s historic links with the trade unions.

Particularly after we have had over 40 years of successive governments attacking worker and trade union rights – so much so that union membership has declined to current day of 26 per cent, when it was 58 per cent in the 1970s, and collective bargaining coverage has gone from 82 per cent in the 1970s to the current 23 per cent

We see the consequences of this in our low-wage economy with its high levels of precarious employment.

To address such issues last year the Institute of Employment Rights launched its Manifesto of Labour Law. The event was attended by Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell along with leaders from several major unions.

The IER policy recommendations include a ministry of labour – which will give working people a voice in government to counteract the powerful corporate interests and legislation to enable Acas (or similar) to encourage sectoral collective bargaining.

The recommendations were welcomed by Corbyn and McDonnell and they said these would form the blueprint for Labour’s official position in post-EU Britain.

SARAH FRIDAY
Trade Union Liaison Officer
Holborn & St Pancras
Labour Party