Why the British TUC Fails Workers Across England

From the beginning, Trade Unions were born in England.

The Tolpuddle Martyrs, the matchgirls of East London, the dockers, the engineers — all the first great struggles of organised labour took place here, in England.

When the first Trades Union Congress met in Manchester in 1868, it was a gathering of English workers at the heart of the industrial revolution. England was the cradle of the movement.

The Disappearance of England’s Voice

Yet as the decades rolled on, that voice speaking for workers across England was erased. The TUC became a “British” body. Scotland and Wales built their own TUC structures, recognised and respected in their devolved systems.

But England — home to the majority of Trade Union members — was left without an equivalent. The result? Workers across England feel invisible in their own country.

Britain or England?

The so-called “British TUC” claims to speak for everyone, but in practice, it fails to address England as a nation in its own right. When it lobbies on schools, health, or transport — these are English devolved matters. Yet the TUC avoids using the word “England.”

This linguistic sleight of hand erases the identity of English workers. It corrodes solidarity and leaves many Trade Unionists in England feeling that their struggles are overlooked and unnamed.

The Need for an English Trade Union Congress

This is not a small issue — it is a structural failure. It allows the false idea that “Britain” and “England” are the same thing, while Scotland and Wales remain distinct. That is why the English Trade Union Congress (ETUC) is being developed, with full WEU support.

It is urgently needed. Trade Unionists must have a voice that represents England when the British TUC refuses to do so. Reform cannot come from within the British TUC — because it is the problem itself.

A Voice for England’s Workers

The structure of the British TUC rests on denying England an organised identity. The only way forward is for England’s workers to build their own Congress — one that speaks openly and proudly for English workers, campaigns on English issues, and demands fair representation within the wider UK framework.

This is not division — it is honesty. Solidarity only works when it is grounded in truth. Scotland and Wales already have their own Trade Union voices. England deserves the same.

The WEU’s Commitment

Without an English TUC, the largest section of the UK’s working class — those who live and work in England — will continue to be treated as an afterthought. The WEU stands ready to support and grow the ETUC into the platform where England’s workers are once again represented, defended, and heard.

Our task now as Trade Unionists is clear: build an English TUC that restores England’s rightful voice within the movement. Nothing less will do.

The WEU fully supports the development of the English Trade Union Congress.

Stephen Morris
General Secretary
Workers of England Union (WEU)