AHEAD of TUC Congress, our movement stands at a crucial crossroads.

The election of a Labour government was a significant step forward on the road to improving the lives of working-class people in this country.

Fourteen years of Tory rule had ruined the country, and we needed to see the back of them.

I make no apology for our union campaigning for the defeat of the Tories and now we have a Labour government that has begun the task of speaking to unions to settle disputes and fast-tracking the nationalisation of the railways. 

Labour’s manifesto commitment that “there will be no return to austerity” is a powerful statement of intent, a rejection of the policies that have caused untold harm to our communities over the past decade.

But it must stick to that commitment, which it will find to be a challenge given its stated intention to work within Tory spending levels.

The needs of the country will not be met via a Tory fiscal policy managed by a Labour administration.

However, as with everything, in the workplace and the political arena, it is a battleground.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is starting to face pressure from big business, so the trade union movement must also push for the things that Labour promised and seek to build on some of those positive foundations in their manifesto.

At TUC we have two motions which get to the heart of what we want and need from a Labour government.

Our motion on Labour’s progressive transport agenda underlines that while we support and welcome the fast-tracking of legislation that will provide the framework for nationalisation of infrastructure passenger services, we do have concerns that vested interests are seeking to dilute and delay these policies and to keep the profit motive on the railways.

Public ownership and publicly controlled buses must also become the norm, with sufficient ringfenced funding for local authorities to reverse the service cuts that have blighted our communities.

Our rail, metro, bus and ferry networks need increased funding, with a clear focus on lowering emissions and contributing to economic growth.

That’s why we need the entire trade union movement to agree to campaign to ensure the newly formed GB Rail moves to end outsourcing, absorbs open access operations, rail freight, and ends the profiteering of the rolling stock leasing companies.

A publicly owned rolling stock ownership and manufacturing model then need to be introduced.

There are some complex costs involved in dealing with the rolling stock companies, but their rampant profiteering cannot continue and must be tackled.

Alongside the needs of railway workers and passengers, our maritime members desperately need a mandatory seafarers’ charter that ensures them basic protections and to take on P&O-style companies at sea.

Labour also needs to deliver a proactive industrial strategy that includes public ownership and strategic investment.

This is about more than just economics — it’s about ensuring that our industries serve the public good, creating jobs and raising productivity and living standards across the board.

There is an urgent need to deliver a significant real-terms increase in public spending and investment, both as an immediate necessity and as part of a longer-term economic strategy for sustainable growth.

But to do that we argue that the government must introduce reforms to unnecessarily restrictive and arbitrary fiscal rules and alter the tax system, by introducing wealth taxes, and begin the process of wealth redistribution.

A proactive industrial strategy, including public ownership and planning, to help deliver strategic investment as the basis of sustainable economic growth, must be the goal.

And the extension of sectoral collective bargaining across the economy to raise productivity and living standards will be a key demand for all trade union members.

In advance of the next Budget, the TUC must agree a high-profile and constructive public campaign that makes a strong case for a radical, progressive and credible economic strategy for national renewal.

The trade union movement is a powerful force and has already shown tremendous resolve in fighting for better pay and conditions, particularly taking on the previous Tory government.

Now is the time to stay united and focused on achieving the pay rises and improvement to terms and conditions that our members all deserve.

Once we have achieved this important step, we can set about trying to get the kind of policies on the statute books that will help transform our communities, tackle inequality and begin to build the kind of society the working-class movement wants to see.

Mick Lynch is general secretary of RMT.