Welcome to the General Federation of Trade Unions

The General Federation of Trade Union’s (GFTU) new high-profile, national project was successfully launched at a packed conference event at the Leeds Park Plaza on Wednesday 24^th February.

The GFTU project will provide bespoke employment rights advice and guidance via a series of employment rights fairs across the UK during 2010-2012.

Over 40 delegates listened as a series of specialist speakers outlined the current plight of vulnerable workers in the UK economy and underlined the vital need and urgency of the project.

In introducing delegates to the project Judith Jackson, Head of Educational Services at the GFTU stated

Robert Warm of the Yorkshire & Humber Yorkshire Regional Migration Partnership provided the first presentation and urged delegates to consider the needs of vulnerable workers based on their profile and background. In particular he underlined the movement of more highly skilled migrant workers out of the local regional economy typically leaving those who were lesser skilled and qualified, but more likely to stay in the UK on a long-term basis.

The event also received presentations from those acting as formal partners to the project.

The meeting received a regional perspective on the needs of those needing to enter the labour market and gain work from Shufkat Razaq of Pennine Regeneration and of the specific experience of Polish migrant workers in the construction industry from Ian Fitzgerald of Northumbria University.

Nikki Sharpe of Thompsons Solicitors gave a profile of her significant experience of providing employment rights advice in community settings and went on to outline how this informs her approach to working with vulnerable workers.  Anne Fairweather of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation provide a useful outline of the work of the umbrella body for recruitment agencies in the UK and its approach to improving employment practice across its membership base.

In bringing the conference to a conclusion its chair, Joe Marino (General Secretary of the Bakers, Food & Allied Workers’ Union, and President of the GFTU) wished the project success.