From free training to getting involved in the campaign against austerity, make the most of what the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) has to offer!
At SWU’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) this year we passed a Motion to celebrate our ongoing affiliation with the GFTU, congratulate the GFTU in their ongoing engagement with affiliates (including SWU) in this their 125th Year, and encourage SWU members to seek out training opportunities available from the GFTU.
Nearly all of the training offered in the GFTU Education Programme 2024-2025 is free for members of affiliated organisations such as SWU, and this includes hotel stays and meals for the residential courses. This exceptional programme includes online and face-to-face trade union activist courses, leadership and management training, campaigns, organising, and specialist research support for all affiliated unions. New SWU Executive Commit member and social work student Edith Till has written about her enriching experience at the GFTU Young Members’ Development Weekend this summer.
Education, solidarity and unity in action
On January 24th – 26th 1899, the TUC held a special congress which founded the GFTU. The GFTU now includes a joint membership of over 600,000 union members from 28 different specialist unions including SWU. Its founding principles included an unambiguous commitment:
“To uphold the right of a combination of labour, to improve in every direction the general economic position and status of the workers by the inauguration of a policy that shall secure to them the power to determine the economic and social conditions under which they shall work and live, and to secure unity of action among all societies forming the federation.”
The aim was to move beyond the basic bond of solidarity which links together all working people in Britain and internationally in a common purpose and to build unity of action among trade unions working together in a federation. The founding mission of the GFTU in 1899 was built around three pillars — education, solidarity and unity in action – and the continued excellence of its training is supported by these pillars.
Education has remained at the forefront of the GFTU engagement with members. Within the new 2024 Education Programme there is something for everyone who is already active or wants to become active in their trade union. The aim of the GFTU Education Programme is to inspire, educate and support trade union activists across the UK and beyond.
You can learn more about the GFTU’s early history in our special Question & Answer session with Dr Edda Nicolson. Edda is a historian of early twentieth century British trade unionism and a Lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton.
Make Equality Real Campaign
SWU General Secretary John McGowan is an active member of the GFTU National Executive and spearheaded the Motion at last year’s GFTU Annual General Meeting that sparked the Make Equality Real campaign. We encourage our members to join us in supporting this campaign to make austerity unlawful through the commencement of section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 (the Socio-Economic Duty).
Ahead of the Autumn Budget 2024 – the first from the new Labour government – Make Equality Real will be holding a meeting to discuss next steps in the campaign. We invite our members, and all supporters of this campaign, to join us at the campaign action Zoom call on 23rd October from 7pm – 8:15pm.
Register here to join the call: https://bit.ly/MERcampaignactioncall
This interactive meeting will utilise the incredible support we have to plan actions targeting the upcoming budget on 30th October. We are pleased to say that SWU member Carol Reid will be featured as one of the speakers alongside coalition members from The People’s Assembly, Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP), Bakers Food & Allied Workers Union (BFAWU), Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC), and The Equality Trust.
SWU Chair Dave Callow spoke at the Make Equality Real pre-budget campaign briefing call for all MPs on October 16th which was well attended. Speakers from The Equality Trust, SWU, BFAWU, AEP, and Napo trade union outlined why it is time to end austerity. They discussed the impacts of austerity on people – as well as on the professions that support some of the most vulnerable within society – and shared our call for a commission (led by people and trade unions) to ask for the implementation of the Socio-Economic Duty (SED).
Dave Callow commented:
“It was a privilege to attend this pre-budget briefing and represent SWU to ensure the voices of social workers and service users were heard.
“Economic hardship created by austerity often leads to increased poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion. These conditions typically raise the demand for social services as more people experience crisis situations such as homelessness, domestic violence, and substance abuse.
“As a society, we must recognize that the well-being of our most vulnerable people is not an expendable cost. Instead, it should be at the heart of any economic policy aimed at creating a fair, just, and prosperous future – a future where no one is left behind.
“The Social Workers Union is proud to support the Make Equality Real campaign and believes that equality is a moral duty within our society. We are proud to stand in solidarity with our partners in this campaign.”
You can also learn more about SWU member Paula Curran’s story and sign the Make Equality Real petition on the campaign website: https://gftu.org.uk/make-equality-real