Motion 80 Trades Councils’ participation within the Trades Union Congress

Congress accepts that trades councils have a rich history in the trade union movement and play an active part in communities supporting the wider movement and TUC campaigns. Further, it is recognised that trades councils have a combined affiliated membership of hundreds of thousands of members throughout the movement.

Yet, trades councils are seriously under-represented within Congress. Currently, they are entitled to a single delegate to Congress and can submit only one motion.
Trades councils’ total affiliated membership, in a single trade union, would mean a far larger Congress delegation.

Congress, therefore, agrees a rule change so that at Congress 2026, trades councils shall be entitled to:

i. a Congress delegation of three

ii. a single seat on the TUC General Council.

And that:
a. the Trades Councils’ Congress delegation shall be entitled to speak and vote on any motion, amendment or other Congress business, in addition to its own single motion.