Starmer vows ‘partnership’ with unions
BRIGHTON: Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday pledged to reset industrial relations strained by widespread strike action, as he became the first UK leader to address the annual meeting of Britain’s trade unions in 15 years.
The speech came amid early tensions between the young government and major unions over plans to cut energy benefits for millions of pensioners.
Starmer’s Labour Party billed the speech as a powerful symbol that the centre-left party is back in government after nearly a decade and a half of Conservative rule.
“Partnership is a more difficult way of doing politics,” Starmer said, seeking to draw a line under years of strike action and tensions between unions and the previous administration.
Labour has historically been allied with trade union organisations, which contribute a substantial amount to the party’s income. The Trade Union Congress (TUC), the umbrella body of 48 member unions comprising more than 5.5 million working people, helped found Labour in the early 20th century.
Gordon Brown was the last premier to deliver a speech to its conference in 2009.
“It’s time to turn the page – business and unions, the private and public sector united by common cause, to rebuild our public services and grow our economy in a new way,” Starmer, 62, told TUC delegates in the seaside resort of Brighton.
He warned, however, that decisions on pay would be shaped by “tough decisions” needed to protect the public finances – repeating his mantra that the Conservatives left Labour with a dire economic inheritance when they vacated office following a landslide election defeat in early July.
“No one in this room wants to hear such a gloomy forecast, I get that,” said Starmer, adding though that he would not “risk” Labour’s “mandate for economic stability, under any circumstances”.
Labour has also laid out proposals to legally ban practices such as “fire and rehire” and to ban zerohours contracts, which leave workers without a minimum number of hours to be worked. That has prompted concern among business leaders, while Starmer said his government would also scrap legislation introduced by the Conservatives that set higher thresholds for strike action.
It’s time to turn the page -- business and unions, the private and public sector united by common cause, to rebuild our public services
KEIR STARMER UK prime minister