IT’S never been more important for us to deliver a New Deal for Workers and a new social settlement for the UK and we cannot wait for political change.

Johnson is a shambolic figure and the Tories will never level up, because they will never level out power and wealth. 

And, whilst Labour has done well in cornering Johnson, the party has completely failed to set out any coherent vision to end inequality and division – and build real solidarity amongst working-class people.

Currently, the CWU is totally focused on winning higher pay for all our members – industrial action has been taking place in the Post Office and further ballots will soon be underway in the Royal Mail Group, Openreach, the BT Group and EE. 

However, we recognise that to be successful we must also see trade unionism in its widest possible context – this means fighting for our members and their families in and outside the workplace.

The CWU strategy for this is called Building Collectivism and we have developed three strands to what we believe will be the start of a new social movement led by trade unions and community organisations.

Firstly, all unions must come together like never before to create the race to the top for all workers in the UK. This is not complicated – it just requires unions to agree collective bargaining agendas across sectors of the economy, alongside greater co-operation on recruitment and organising, particularly in the private sector.

Secondly, we will strengthen and deepen links between our local branches and local community organisations across the UK. There are so many people who are practising the values of collectivism and we just need to build these links in a more structured way.

Thirdly, the CWU will only support politicians who support us and we are developing our key industrial policies through serious community wealth building projects. This means strengthening support for metro mayors, regional and local politicians, who share our determination to win real change.

This approach is about giving confidence to people across the UK that change will happen and we are convinced that if all unions pursue something similar, we will rebuild the trade union and labour movement.

Today’s rally is the start – what’s crucial now is what happens next. 

The town hall meetings that laid the foundation for today must continue. I can honestly say that listening to the pressures that frontline workers are under and their willingness to fight for change has been one of the most uplifting experiences I have had in recent years.

For the first time in decades, workers and community organisations are coming together in a way that cuts through the manufactured divisions in our society. It really is powerful stuff underpinned by the principle of collectivism.