TUC Conference delegates voted for the MU's motion on protecting workers from sexual harassment to be a priority campaign for the Young Workers’ Forum. Image credit: Shutterstock.
MU member Tom Plater represented the union at this year’s TUC Young Workers’ Conference. He moved two motions highlighting the impact of Arts Council England funding cuts on opportunities for young workers, and protecting young workers from sexual harassment on public transport. Both motions passed with unanimous support.
The MU is delighted that Conference delegates also voted for the union’s motion on protecting workers from sexual harassment to be one of two priority campaigns for the TUC Young Workers’ Forum for 2023-24.
The motion calls on the TUC to campaign for fully staffed public transport networks, to oppose Government cuts that leave the railways unsafe, and to lobby Government to prioritise introducing a preventative duty and protections from third-party harassment. We look forward to working with the Forum on future actions to achieve these goals.
Representing musicians across the TUC’s work for young people
We are also delighted that Tom was co-opted to the TUC Young Workers’ Forum to represent the MU’s 5000 members aged 30 and under.
The Forum is a committee made up of young people from across the trade union movement and meets regularly throughout the year to work on the priority campaigns chosen at Young Workers’ Conference.
This year’s second TUC Young Workers’ priority campaign is for a living wage, and part of Tom’s role will be to represent self-employed creative workers on this issue.
Backing the issues that matter to you
Young members from BECTU/Prospect moved a motion on protecting the BBC and promoting the importance of public service broadcasting. The MU took the opportunity to highlight recent BBC proposals to axe the BBC Singers and 20% of jobs from the BBC Concert, Philharmonic and Symphony orchestras.
Thanks to union representation and a massive outpouring of public support for members in the BBC Singers and orchestras, these plans have been partially rolled back. However, support from the union movement is still essential to protect the BBC’s Performing Groups going forward, and members are encouraged to email the BBC in support of the BBC Singers and orchestras.
The MU also seconded Equity’s motion on fossil free investments. One key ask was pensions divestment – which the MU Members’ Pension Scheme did in 2021 following a motion to MU Delegate Conference that year.
The next MU Delegate Conference will be taking place in July 2023 and all members who have been in membership for one year, and are not retired (free) members, are invited to apply to attend before Sunday 30 April.