Wales TUC marks 50th Anniversary

The Wales Trades Union Congress (Wales TUC) will today (Monday 22nd May) celebrate its landmark 50th anniversary.

A special meeting of the Wales TUC General Council in Newport will be joined by founding member and driving force behind the establishing of the organisation, George Wright.

The meeting will also be joined by First Minister Mark Drakeford and Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, Hannah Blythyn.

Formed in 1973, the Wales TUC currently represents 48 trade unions and 400,000 workers in Wales across all sectors of the economy. It serves to support the work of its affiliate unions, co-ordinate joint campaigns, and produce policy positions on behalf of the movement. It also delivers the Wales Union Learning Fund – now in its 23^rd year – which provides learning and skills opportunities for workers across the country.

George Wright contributed to the founding of the Wales TUC more than any other individual. He was brought in from his trade union position in the West Midlands car industry to co-ordinate trade union members in Wales and face down opposition to the idea of a Wales-only body from TUC headquarters in London.

He will speak to the General Council about his recollections and experiences of the fight to for the Wales TUC and his subsequent role as its first General Secretary.

In recent years the Wales TUC has fought to protect workers in Wales from the anti-union and austerity policies of the UK Government, has worked with the Welsh Government to establish the Fair Work policy agenda – which looks to drive up employment standards in Wales, and has lobbied for the introduction of the new Social Partnership Bill which will give trade unions a central role in Welsh Government decision making.

Wales TUC General Secretary, Shavanah Taj said:

“We’re immensely proud to have reached our 50^th anniversary and to be able to look back on five decades of fighting for workers.

“We’re particularly pleased to be able to share this occasion with George Wright, our first General Secretary. Without George, the Wales TUC as it is today would simply not exist. We owe him an enormous debt of gratitude. 

“We only have to look around us to see the relevance and the necessity of the Wales TUC today. We have a UK Government that is trying to curtail workers’ rights through its Minimum Service Levels Bill.

“And yet here in Wales this week we’ll see the passing of the Social Partnership Bill that will empower workers and put them at the heart of decision making in Wales. This is evidence of the difference the Wales TUC can make and is the kind of legacy that we’re looking to build”.