Proposals to open talks on the creation of a new trade union based on a merger of the Transport & General Workers Union (T&G), Amicus and the GMB have been agreed.
The T&G executive unanimously endorsed a proposal to open discussions with Amicus on the creation of the new union and to write to the GMB inviting it to participate as an equal partner from the outset.
The new union would have 2.5 million members and be a dominant industrial presence in many key sectors of the economy. It would be overwhelmingly the largest trade union in the private sector, and would have a major voice in public services too.
T&G general secretary Tony Woodley said: “This is a historic opportunity for trade unionism to seize the industrial agenda of the 21st century, and to win for today’s workers on pay and conditions.
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“We could now put behind us pointless inter-union competition and focus on fighting for our members in the workplace as one powerful union. Today’s announcement is a message of hope for every worker who needs strong trade unionism, and a warning to employers that we intend to match the power of capital with the power of united labour.
