The latest TUC proposal is simply not good enough
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has once again shown that it is little more than a cog in the wheel of capitalism. After its tepid £15-an-hour minimum wage plan, it’s now resurrected a Jeremy Corbyn policy from four years ago.
TUC: tepid policies
As The Canary previously reported, the TUC announced on 24 August that it was calling on the government to put in place a £15 minimum wage by 2030. It also wanted this to be based on 75% of median earnings. But some people weren’t happy, saying the TUC should call for a general strike instead. Moreover, they thought it was too little, too late, given the current cost of living catastrophe.
However, it seems like the TUC missed the fact that its plans were underwhelming. It’s now made another announcement of a new policy. Except it’s not new, but copied directly from a policy announced by Corbyn’s Labour Party in 2018.
Resurrecting Corbyn
On Monday 29 August, the TUC said it was calling for four more bank holidays a year. It said in a press release that it was:
calling on government to recognise the low number of holidays UK workers get compared to other nations, and to show gratitude for grafters by levelling up our holidays with neighbouring workers in the EU.
England and Wales usually get 8 annual bank holidays, while Scotland and Northern Ireland typically get either 9 or 10 depending on the timing of New Year and their patron saint days.
However, this year the whole of the UK got an additional holiday for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Read on...
Support us and go ad-freeThe EU average is 12.3 days, which is over 4 days more than UK workers get in a typical year.
Of course, Corbyn’s Labour was doing this four years ago. He said in 2018 that:
Eight years of Tory austerity, which Labour will bring to an end, have had a disastrous effect on our vital public services and workers have paid a heavy price in the cost of living and their working lives. We will give our workers four extra days’ paid holiday.
TUC: primary school politics
Crucially, when Corbyn was calling for more bank holidays, the UK wasn’t in such an inflation and energy price crisis. Plus, it was in conjunction with other policies which would have helped families – such as free broadband and a 5% pay rise for public sector workers. The TUC calling for £15-an-hour minimum wage in 2030 and four bank holidays is not a coherent plan. It’s the ramblings of an organisation attempting to seem radical while just regurgitating democratic socialist policies from years ago. This is simply not good enough.
Featured image via the TUC – YouTube and Sky News – YouTube
Support us and go ad-freeWe know everyone is suffering under the Tories - but the Canary is a vital weapon in our fight back, and we need your support
The Canary Workers’ Co-op knows life is hard. The Tories are waging a class war against us we’re all having to fight. But like trade unions and community organising, truly independent working-class media is a vital weapon in our armoury.
The Canary doesn’t have the budget of the corporate media. In fact, our income is over 1,000 times less than the Guardian’s. What we do have is a radical agenda that disrupts power and amplifies marginalised communities. But we can only do this with our readers’ support.
So please, help us continue to spread messages of resistance and hope. Even the smallest donation would mean the world to us.
-
Show Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Join the conversationPlease read our comment moderation policy here.
I believe the authoritarian puritanical left enjoy losing.
Would you care to elaborate on why this suggests the radical left prefer losing?