THE city of Hull is this year’s venue for the Yorkshire and Humber TUC conference. This is the first conference since lockdown and the first time we have held our annual gathering in the city.

Hull is a great port city in our region, having suffered from a lack of investment, a massive reduction in its fishing fleet and higher than average levels of unemployment. 

It is important that the TUC is here this year for a number of reasons. As we work towards climate change and a just transition for workers and communities, Hull and the Humber estuary are crucial to developing new offshore wind and other new technological advances to see Hull and the Humber become the energy estuary. 

The potential for this part of the region is huge and is crucial to the national strategy for Britain to reach its targets. 

The subregion is home to many of the biggest polluting industries, power generation and heavy industries, these industries must transform their processes in order to become carbon-free. 

These plants are the home of well-paid unionised jobs, crucial to the economic continuation of both banks of the Humber river. 

Trade unions are ready to play their part in this transition and negotiate with employers and the government to make sure that no-one is left behind. 

No more isolated abandoned communities, no more no hopes for young people entering the world of work. We need good-quality apprenticeships, leading to skilled work in the new carbon-free industrial world. 

Good things are happening in the Humber area — a new Siemens plant making blades for offshore wind terminals, many other investments in innovative technology businesses, the Aura Innovation Centre supporting research and innovation in low-carbon technologies, Alexander Dennis bus manufacturers, Yorkshire Water and many others, but there are also serious worries for the future. 

Just recently we saw the sacking of seafarers in Hull by video message after the ship from Rotterdam had docked in the port of Hull. Not only were they given no notice, but there were also no negotiations or consultations with the unions or individuals. 

This type of gangster capitalism is regarding by most people as disgraceful and unbelievable. Indeed, the action taken by P&O is in my view the worst example of bullying and harassment of workers in many years. The people of Hull were shocked along with many others around Britain and the world.

Many weeks after this appalling behaviour, we still have no or little service to and from the Continent for passengers and freight due to the massive incompetence of the company management. 

The government needs to take the routes into public ownership with a view to finding a competent and dependable company and get these services moving again. 

We stand in solidarity with these workers and their families, all have had their lives turned upside down on the altar of capitalist greed. We will hold a rally with them to show our support to them as part of our conference on Saturday lunchtime. 

Local MPs are working with the trade unions to keep this alive despite inaction from the government.

Lack of investment in the so-called levelling-up agenda is also a huge disappointment to the people of Humberside. Problems with investment in public transport make it difficult for residents and business to move around freely. 

TransPennine Express workers are also on strike this weekend and will be picketing Hull station on Sunday. We will be joining them to support them against a very intransigent company. 

We also have the Humber freeport established by the government. While investment is good news, that investment has to produce good well-paid jobs for the area. 

At this point in time, we are seeking to have an input in the planning process, making sure the voice of working people is heard, something that has not been happening much in certain companies involved in the freeport plans. 

The local authorities are working hard to improve the area and the lives of the people of the region, but are very often hampered by central government cuts, and their lack of interest in northern England. 

Hull and the Humber deserve better. For too long this area of the country has been ignored, and we aim to start shouting about it at our conference. 

Leaders from the political world, from business, finance and industry will take part in debates on green jobs and just transition, transport, health services after the pandemic, social care, wages and the cost-of-living crisis, skills and education, culture for all, building a fair work region and devolution.

This is our biggest conference on record and a sign that more people are organising to make work better for all. 

Trade unions are fighting back, and against considerable barriers put in place by successive governments. There is a significant rise in the number of industrial disputes taking place around the country. 

The message from our conference this weekend is that we will stand in solidarity with workers in dispute, we will take on bad employers, while engaging with good employers, local authorities, our mayors to work together to make things better for the people of Yorkshire and the Humber. 

We want to see an end to the scourge of foodbanks, homelessness, unemployment and low-paid insecure work. This is just not good enough for the sixth-biggest economy in the world and the whole region deserves better. 

Inequality is growing under this government. While taxes and prices rocket, the elite regards tax avoidance and off shoring as normal.

We will be letting the government know of our anger with a national demonstration in London on June 18, meanwhile, we will be organising and representing the people of this great region whenever and wherever we can.