Unions, communities and third sector

The TUC seems to be putting some effort into trade unions linking up with community activists and the third sector in general, in campaigning and ‘organising’ workers (and others?). Reminds me, for some reason, of some of the links when I was involved in community campaigns in Waterloo and North Southwark 20 plus years ago.

A TUC conference ‘Organising Unions, Organising Communities’ last November aimed to explore the value and practice of linking workplace organising to wider community-based initiatives, existing union work with community and third sector organisations, union efforts to engage under-represented groups and how unions can build sustainable working relationships with social movement partners.
See: Trades Union Congress – Organising Union, Organising communities Conference Report

And upcoming:
On March 31st-April 1st the TUC and the Methodist Church will jointly host a ‘Creating Community Alliances’ residential training session, which will be open to union officers, organisers, industrial/workplace chaplains and church/community activists from across the Christian faith communities. Trades Union Congress – Community Organising – new pilot training project