A ‘Wales Trade Union Conference on the Crisis of Political Representation’, hosted by Cardiff Trades Council on 18 October, pledged to support only candidates and parties that will stand up for the working class.

That was the main conclusion reached by over 50 trade unionists from 11 unions who attended the conference backed by five trades councils in Wales, the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union executive, the civil service union PCS Wales, and a long list of trade union branches, along with Disabled People Against Cuts and the campaign group ACORN.

The conference was promoted as a forum for trade union reps and members to discuss “the way forward for our movement after 15 years of austerity, cost-of-living crisis and racism”. It was prompted by deep concerns over Labour’s continued austerity programme, its scandalous attacks on the Birmingham bin workers, and its shameful response to the horrifying massacres in Gaza. It was originally conceived before Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn’s announcements about a new party, but the developments concerning Your Party obviously gave this event even greater relevance.

The conference was intended to facilitate a “full and free discussion”, and that objective was achieved, with a long procession of speakers from the floor rather than platform speakers dominating. One view that was entirely absent was the idea that unions should continue to affiliate to Labour. Because some unions are affiliated to Labour, however, and because they are the party of government in the UK and in Wales, Cardiff Trades Council had specifically invited Labour to provide a speaker at the conference to try and defend their record. That did not happen.

Much of the discussion centred on whether trade unionists ought to affiliate to any political party. A member of the BFAWU for example, stated that the disaffiliation of his union from Labour had freed up funds for many other purposes directly benefiting members. Speakers from ACORN, which describes itself as a ‘union for the community’, were particularly prominent in arguing against political affiliation, advancing the slogan “no permanent enemies, no permanent friends”. They were wary of association with any political party that might attack working people at some stage. This is an understandable sentiment given the betrayals of Labour and the cuts carried out by Plaid Cymru and the Greens when they have led councils in Wales and England respectively.

However, these arguments were countered in the conference with the point that an opportunity now exists to create a new party based on the working class and fighting for socialist policies. The character of Your Party is not decided, and the trade unions must take part in the process to help shape its direction. It is essential to robustly defend workers at work and in the community, but it is also necessary to have a political strategy. The two things are not mutually exclusive, they go together.

The conference ended by agreeing for those in attendance to take a Workers’ Charter of demands (see below) for political representation back into their organisations. An even more urgent task after the Caerphilly Senedd by-election showed so starkly what can happen if the vacuum in working class political representation remains unfilled. ■

A Workers’ Charter of demands for political representation

This charter of minimum demands that trade unions should require of any political party standing in the Senedd election in 2026 was proposed at a conference of trade union branches and regional bodies in Cardiff on October 18 called by Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Merthyr and Caerphilly Trade Union Councils. It will be circulated to all branches and regional bodies to take up for the Senedd elections.

“The working class should not pay for this crisis. Instead make the rich pay. Trade unionists in Wales need representatives  who will stand up for the working class and not surrender to the demands of big business. 

This conference of trade unionists will only consider supporting candidates and parties who are pledged to fight for the following as a minimum:

* An end to austerity and all cuts in Welsh councils and the Senedd. For a fully funded NHS, and public services and to implement TUC Cymru policy of legal no cuts local authority budgets.  

* Nationalise the private utilities, public transport and steel. 

* Living, inflation-proofed benefits for all who need them. Reverse the disability cuts, the two-child benefit cap and restore all winter fuel payments.

* For a fully funded council house building programme and genuinely affordable private rents.

* Support for TUC Cymru policy of £15 per hour minimum wage and for inflation-proofed pay rises for all public sector workers.

* Repeal all anti trade union laws and those that prohibit the right to democratic assembly and protest. 

* Fight racism and all discrimination that divides us.

* No more slaughter in Gaza. No arms to Israel and for a foreign policy that seeks peace, not war. 

* For a just transition to a green economy with no loss of jobs and conditions”. 

If your union branch wishes to adopt the charter or invite a speaker from the Charter Campaign to speak at your union branch then email [email protected]