We are pleased to say that, in response to the Make Equality Real campaign’s joint letter, the Prime Minister has replied to each of the coalition members.
Keir Starmer has responded that his team “will be reaching out to you to start our joint plans” and offers reassurances:
“We did not take office to hoard power in Westminster and go it alone, and I have been clear that Government departments must draw in trade unions from every sector to work in partnership. The contribution made by the hard work of your members, and all working people, is essential to our mission. Growth can only come when we make work pay, when we have an industrial strategy that is devised in partnership with trade unions and businesses, and when our public services are fixed using the skills, expertise and knowledge of those who deliver them.”
It is encouraging to see these first green shoots, which are a welcome change from the hostility of the previous government whose Trade Union Act 2016 brought in the most restrictive anti-union laws in the Western world.
The Make Equality Real coalition looks forwards to working with the Government on delivering the socio-economic duty, reducing poverty, and making austerity unlawful.
The Make Equality Real coalition was born out of a SWU motion, supported by the Association of Educational Psychologists, at the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) 2023 Annual General Meeting. SWU’s motion called “for the government to recognise the impact of austerity and now the cost-of-living crisis upon the families and individuals that social work and social care staff support.”
Our growing coalition – spearheaded by the GFTU – represents workers and the wider community including social workers, educational psychologists, headteachers, teachers, probation staff, performers, visual artists, musicians and hospitality workers, including Black and other racialised communities and marginalised groups who face discrimination.
A letter from the Prime Minister is a good start but words must be accompanied by action. We are asking our members and the public to sign the Make Equality Real petition, demanding that the Labour Government keep their manifesto promise (pg.88) to prioritise the effective commencement of section 1 of the Equality Act 2010, (the socio-economic duty, SED) and help make austerity unlawful.
We are now calling on the Government to urgently establish a commission to begin this work.
A commission can establish the most effective and supportive set of mechanisms to promote the socio-economic duty (SED) and ensure that it is delivered successfully across all policymaking bodies.
We believe this should include:
- Promoting the participation and role of ‘Equalities’ trade union representatives within our trade union and bargaining structures across our economy.
- Incorporating public participation and meaningful engagement with those closest to the issues as a key principle for SED implementation.
- Appropriate funding of the Equality and Human Rights Commission to provide a regulatory framework for the SED.
- Development of strong, clear, and supportive training of policymakers throughout society to understand and utilise the SED.
Support our demand for a Government commission to prioritise the effective implementation of section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 and make austerity unlawful.
Sign the petition today: https://gftu.org.uk/make-equality-real
You may also be interested in reading more about the Make Equality Real campaign themes which highlight the widespread and ongoing impacts of austerity: