TUC Cymru must resist the temptation to become a one-dimensional cheerleader for the Labour government in Westminster

Martin Shipton 

It should go without saying that the role of the trade union movement is to represent the interests of workers.

It’s a message I took for granted when, many years ago, on my first day in my first job as a trainee reporter, I joined the National Union of Journalists. In fact, it was quite an occasion for me, as I told my editor that instead of coming in to work, I would be joining my new colleagues on the picket line outside the newspaper office.

I’d accepted a job offer to start after my postgraduate journalism course at what is now Cardiff University had ended. But in the intervening period, an industrial dispute had escalated, and I spent the first six months of my new career on strike.

I mention this to establish my credentials as a committed trade unionist who quickly became an NUJ activist and lay official – roles I have continued to hold to this day.

It was therefore interesting for me to read the comments made about this week’s UK Government Budget by Laura Doel, the recently appointed general secretary of TUC Cymru, who also began her career as a journalist.

The press release was headlined: “TUC Cymru welcomes UK Government Budget and calls for extra cash to be invested in Welsh workers.”

It continued: “The Welsh Government will receive an additional £450m to invest in Welsh public services as a result of decisions made in today’s UK Government Budget.

“The trade union body is now calling on the Welsh Government to invest this extra money into the Welsh workforce by increasing public sector pay, and using its powers to tackle the cost of living.”

The press release then contained these quotes from Laura Doel: “Times are tough for working people across Wales. With cost-of-living pressures continuing to bite it is right that the UK Government has taken steps to alleviate those challenges with targeted support on energy bills.

“We hope this is just the beginning of what should be a relentless focus on living standards. Additional funding for Welsh public services is always welcomed and it is now incumbent upon the Welsh Government to use that additional headroom to do the right thing.

“They must give public sector workers the pay rises they deserve, and use the powers they have to reduce the cost of living for people in Wales.”

While it is understandable that the general secretary of TUC Cymru would press the case for public sector workers to get a pay rise, I was left feeling that something was missing. Laura Doel’s comments gave the impression that, as a result of the UK Budget, the Welsh Government was awash with money and would find it easy to dispense more cash to the employees whose salaries it funds.

But the situation isn’t that simple, as Paul Nowak, the head of the UK TUC, made clear in his own comments. Recognising that Trump’s illegal war in Iran was causing havoc with the global economy and driving up costs, he said: “It’s right that the government is boosting investment in some industries through the National Wealth Fund, but ministers should have beefed up support for manufacturers struggling with crippling energy costs.

“Strong public services are the bedrock of a strong economy. To repair the damage of 14 years of Tory austerity, the government is right to recognise the need for investment right across our public services. But any cuts to departmental capital budgets will be met with real concern.

“Ahead of the Spending Review, it is vital the government engages with public sector unions to map out a way to rebuild public services and support the people delivering them.”

Downside

While giving credit to the UK Government for some positive measures aimed at relieving the cost-of-living crisis, Nowak acknowledged the downside – that Chancellor John Healey expects departmental budgets to be cut by 1%, something that will cause serious problems for the public sector as it grapples with rising inflation caused by Trump’s idiocy in starting a war with Iran at the behest of Israel.

It didn’t take long for those astute commentators at Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre to identify the dire consequences for the Welsh Government. While John Healey’s Budget contained some short-term crowd-pleasers, the expectation is that they will be more than offset by the challenges caused by inflation.

Why was there no recognition of this by TUC Cymru? Could it be that politics is playing a part?

In an interview she gave after her appointment as general secretary, Laura Doel said: “TUC is not affiliated to the Labour Party, but of course we have a history and a tradition that we are incredibly proud of.”

While she is right to say that the TUC itself is not affiliated to Labour, the big unions are. It’s also fair to say that many trade union officials are longstanding members of the Labour Party, including TUC Cymru’s head of public affairs and communications, Matt Hexter.

Astute

Matt, for whom I have enormous liking and respect, not least for his involvement in the Hiraeth podcast, which was invariably astute, was previously employed as a special adviser by Jo Stevens, the former Secretary of State for Wales and MP for Cardiff East.

He was also an unsuccessful Labour Senedd candidate in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf this year, where the only Labour MS elected was Shav Taj, Laura Doel’s predecessor as TUC Cymru general secretary.

Party politics in Wales can be tribalistic, despite Mark Drakeford’s bid to forge a progressive left alliance. Many people associated with TUC Cymru and the wider trade union movement in Wales are Labour through and through, and that is wholly understandable given the party’s origins.

But I can’t help thinking that this is also of significance in their approach towards the current Plaid Cymru Welsh Government.

Simplistic

TUC Cymru’s simplistic reaction to the UK Budget put the onus on Plaid Cymru to deliver improvements, without acknowledging the inflationary pressures that make improving the Welsh economy more difficult.

I agree that Plaid Cymru should have woken up to the economic consequences for Wales of the Iran war sooner, and it’s fair to say that the party gives the impression of having been blindsided.

But it would be good if TUC Cymru gave a little more thought to the huge challenges that still face the Welsh economy despite the UK Budget and resisted the temptation to become a one-dimensional cheerleader for the Labour government in Westminster.