Barnet TUC supports Unison’s demand for a proper pay rise. It is absurd, as Unison points out, that the Government is not willing to pay decent salaries to workers performing vital public services, when it is ready to bail out Northern Rock in the private sector for £25 billion. There may be troubles ahead in the economy, but the UK remains a rich country which can afford to fund public services properly.

The Government is warning the public sector against .inflation-busting pay rises, but leading academics say there is no evidence that a proper pay rise for public sector workers will fuel inflation. On the contrary, it is inflation that is making a decent pay rise all the more necessary.

When the Government takes workers for granted, a strike is more than justified. Local government workers need an improved offer and a well-supported strike can help them to get it. Tanker drivers delivering to Shell recently won 14 per cent over two years as a result of striking. Those workers have shown the importance of their work to the functioning of the economy. Sometimes it can be harder for public service workers to go on strike, not just because they lose pay, but also because politicians can cynically try to turn service users against them. The public support for Fremantle strikers here in Barnet shows that is unjustified. Most people understand that public services cannot survive without decent pay and conditions for public service workers. But other workers need to let the strikers know we are on their side.

LGBT workers of the world unite!

ON 3-4 JULY I was a visitor at the TUC’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) conference in London.

The trade union movement has been at the forefront of fighting for LGBT workers’ rights at work and in other areas of life. For example, the campaigning priority for the next year will be against homophobic bullying in education. Schools and colleges can raise these issues in a way that helps non-LGBT people to understand why homophobia is wrong and to support potentially LGBT students and pupils and LGBT staff and parents. Find out more from campaigning organisation Schools Out.

New pieces of legislation in the pipeline are the UK Equality Bill and a new European Union anti-discrimination directive. The unions will have to make the most of these opportunities to ensure that equality means a level playing field for all people, and to make the unions welcoming bodies for LGBT workers.

There has been a lot of progress, but there are many battles yet to win!

RMT Tube cleaning grades secretary Clara Osagiede addressed the conference. On Saturday 5th delegates took part in the trade union contingent of the Pride parade.