Looking Forward to 2026 with Unity and Purpose
Brothers and Sisters
A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
As we stand together at the threshold of 2026, I want to speak to you not just as your Branch Secretary, but as someone who shares your struggles, your hopes, and your determination to build a better future for working people across this country.
This past year has tested us all. You've felt it in your pay packets, in the queues at the GP surgery, in the rent or mortgage that takes up more of your wages than ever before. You've watched your children's schools struggle for resources, and you've seen colleagues forced to move further from work because they simply can't afford to live near where they serve their communities.
But 2026 brings real change and that change is happening because of the power of organized labour – because of you, because of us, standing together.
A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
As we stand together at the threshold of 2026, I want to speak to you not just as your Branch Secretary, but as someone who shares your struggles, your hopes, and your determination to build a better future for working people across this country.
This past year has tested us all. You've felt it in your pay packets, in the queues at the GP surgery, in the rent or mortgage that takes up more of your wages than ever before. You've watched your children's schools struggle for resources, and you've seen colleagues forced to move further from work because they simply can't afford to live near where they serve their communities.
But 2026 brings real change and that change is happening because of the power of organized labour – because of you, because of us, standing together.
Historic Victories for Workers' Right
After decades of decline, after years of laws designed to weaken us, we are witnessing the most significant strengthening of trade union rights in a generation. The Employment Rights Bill represents a fundamental shift in the balance of power in British workplaces. This needs to go into law as a matter of urgency!
In 2026, your rights as union members will be stronger. Employers will be required to inform every worker of their right to join a union. Union representatives will have enhanced rights to paid time off for their crucial work representing you. The recognition process will become fairer, removing barriers that have kept workers from having a collective voice.
When we take industrial action to defend our members, that action will be better protected. The notice period will be shortened, restrictive ballot thresholds will be removed, and ballots will provide a mandate for twelve months instead of six. These aren't just technical changes – they're about restoring the fundamental right to withdraw your labour when negotiations fail. All of these rights, consistently voted down in the House by the Tories and Reform.
This didn't happen by accident. This happened because trade unions refused to accept the status quo. Because we campaigned, organized, and stood together.
In 2026, your rights as union members will be stronger. Employers will be required to inform every worker of their right to join a union. Union representatives will have enhanced rights to paid time off for their crucial work representing you. The recognition process will become fairer, removing barriers that have kept workers from having a collective voice.
When we take industrial action to defend our members, that action will be better protected. The notice period will be shortened, restrictive ballot thresholds will be removed, and ballots will provide a mandate for twelve months instead of six. These aren't just technical changes – they're about restoring the fundamental right to withdraw your labour when negotiations fail. All of these rights, consistently voted down in the House by the Tories and Reform.
This didn't happen by accident. This happened because trade unions refused to accept the status quo. Because we campaigned, organized, and stood together.
The Cost of Living Crisis Continue
But let's be honest about the challenges that remain. The cost-of-living crisis hasn't gone away. Inflation may have eased from its peak, but working families are still struggling. Food prices remain stubbornly high. Energy bills continue to take a massive chunk out of household budgets. Not forgetting housing, the roof over your family's head, has become increasingly unaffordable for ordinary workers.
Average house prices (London) now stand at eleven times the average salary for key workers like NHS staff. Nurses, teachers, emergency service workers, the people we depend on every single day, cannot afford to live in the communities they serve. Rents consume more than a third of gross income for many working families. This is not sustainable. This is not right.
The government has extended support through the Household Support Fund until March 2026, providing crucial help to vulnerable families. But temporary measures are not enough!
We need structural change. We need wages that keep pace with the cost of living. We need secure housing that workers can afford. We need properly funded public services.
Average house prices (London) now stand at eleven times the average salary for key workers like NHS staff. Nurses, teachers, emergency service workers, the people we depend on every single day, cannot afford to live in the communities they serve. Rents consume more than a third of gross income for many working families. This is not sustainable. This is not right.
The government has extended support through the Household Support Fund until March 2026, providing crucial help to vulnerable families. But temporary measures are not enough!
We need structural change. We need wages that keep pace with the cost of living. We need secure housing that workers can afford. We need properly funded public services.
Our NHS and Public Services Under Pressure
Our National Health Service, the institution that embodies the principle that healthcare is a right, not a privilege – continues to face immense pressure. Staff shortages, crumbling infrastructure and years of underfunding have left our NHS struggling to meet the needs of our communities.
Mental health services are overwhelmed. GP appointments are hard to secure. Hospital waiting lists remain far too long. And the staff who work in these services, our fellow union members, are exhausted and increasingly unable to afford to stay in the profession or in the areas where they're most needed.
The housing crisis and the NHS crisis are not separate issues – they are intertwined. When healthcare workers cannot afford to live near their workplace, when teachers have to leave the communities they serve, when care workers spend hours commuting because local rents are beyond their reach, our entire society suffers.
Mental health services are overwhelmed. GP appointments are hard to secure. Hospital waiting lists remain far too long. And the staff who work in these services, our fellow union members, are exhausted and increasingly unable to afford to stay in the profession or in the areas where they're most needed.
The housing crisis and the NHS crisis are not separate issues – they are intertwined. When healthcare workers cannot afford to live near their workplace, when teachers have to leave the communities they serve, when care workers spend hours commuting because local rents are beyond their reach, our entire society suffers.
The Global Threat of the Far RighT
But we must also look beyond our own shores, because the challenges we face here in Britain are part of a global pattern. Across Europe, across the Americas, across the world, we are witnessing the rise of far-right politics. These are movements that promote division, scapegoating and the erosion of workers' rights are gaining ground within the narrative the spew out on a daily basis.
These movements feed on economic insecurity, on the despair that comes when working people feel abandoned by mainstream politics. They offer simple answers to complex problems. They blame immigrants for the failures of neoliberal economic policies. They attack unions and organized labour. They promise strength while undermining the democratic institutions that protect our rights.
Make no mistake: the rise of the far right is a direct consequence of decades of economic policies that have concentrated wealth at the top while leaving working people behind. When social protections are cut, when inequality grows, when people cannot see a path to a better future for themselves or their children, they become vulnerable to those who offer scapegoats instead of solutions.
Research has shown a clear link between welfare cuts, economic insecurity, and support for far-right politics. In country after country, we see the same pattern, where unemployment benefits are weak, where housing is unaffordable, where public services are underfunded, support for extremist politics grows.
This is why our work as trade unionists is more important than ever. We offer a different vision, one based on solidarity, not division; on collective action, not individual despair; on building up rather than tearing down. When we fight for better wages, for secure housing, for properly funded public services, we are not just improving our own lives, we are strengthening democracy itself.
These movements feed on economic insecurity, on the despair that comes when working people feel abandoned by mainstream politics. They offer simple answers to complex problems. They blame immigrants for the failures of neoliberal economic policies. They attack unions and organized labour. They promise strength while undermining the democratic institutions that protect our rights.
Make no mistake: the rise of the far right is a direct consequence of decades of economic policies that have concentrated wealth at the top while leaving working people behind. When social protections are cut, when inequality grows, when people cannot see a path to a better future for themselves or their children, they become vulnerable to those who offer scapegoats instead of solutions.
Research has shown a clear link between welfare cuts, economic insecurity, and support for far-right politics. In country after country, we see the same pattern, where unemployment benefits are weak, where housing is unaffordable, where public services are underfunded, support for extremist politics grows.
This is why our work as trade unionists is more important than ever. We offer a different vision, one based on solidarity, not division; on collective action, not individual despair; on building up rather than tearing down. When we fight for better wages, for secure housing, for properly funded public services, we are not just improving our own lives, we are strengthening democracy itself.
Our Response: Solidarity and Action
So, what do we do in 2026? We organize. We build. We stand together.
We take full advantage of the new rights we've won. We reach out to non-unionized workers and show them the power of collective representation. We ensure that every workplace knows about their right to join a union. We support union representatives in using their enhanced time off rights to better serve our members.
We continue to fight for real wage increases that reflect the actual cost of living, not just inflation figures, but the reality of what it costs to put food on the table, to heat your home, to give your children what they need. The National Living Wage will rise to £12.71 in April 2026, but we know that even this falls short of what many families need to live with dignity.
We demand investment in our public services. We fight for an NHS that can recruit and retain the staff it needs. We campaign for social housing that key workers and ordinary families can afford. We insist that every new development includes the GP surgeries, dental practices, and schools that communities need.
We stand in solidarity with workers facing persecution and discrimination everywhere. We recognize that attacks on immigrants are attacks on all working people. We understand that undermining the rights of any worker ultimately threatens the rights of all workers. We reject the politics of division and embrace the politics of solidarity.
We take full advantage of the new rights we've won. We reach out to non-unionized workers and show them the power of collective representation. We ensure that every workplace knows about their right to join a union. We support union representatives in using their enhanced time off rights to better serve our members.
We continue to fight for real wage increases that reflect the actual cost of living, not just inflation figures, but the reality of what it costs to put food on the table, to heat your home, to give your children what they need. The National Living Wage will rise to £12.71 in April 2026, but we know that even this falls short of what many families need to live with dignity.
We demand investment in our public services. We fight for an NHS that can recruit and retain the staff it needs. We campaign for social housing that key workers and ordinary families can afford. We insist that every new development includes the GP surgeries, dental practices, and schools that communities need.
We stand in solidarity with workers facing persecution and discrimination everywhere. We recognize that attacks on immigrants are attacks on all working people. We understand that undermining the rights of any worker ultimately threatens the rights of all workers. We reject the politics of division and embrace the politics of solidarity.
Looking to the FuturE
2026 will not be easy. The challenges we face are real and substantial. But we have something that those who profit from our labour can never take away, the power of collective action. When we stand together, when we organize, when we refuse to be divided, we are unstoppable.
The victories we've already won prove this. The Employment Rights Bill didn't happen because politicians suddenly decided to be generous. It happened because trade unions made it impossible to ignore the demands of working people. Every right we have was won by those who came before us, who organized, who struck, who stood together even when it was difficult.
Now it's our turn to continue that fight. Not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren. Not just in our own workplaces, but in solidarity with workers everywhere who are fighting for dignity, respect, and a fair share of the wealth they create.
The victories we've already won prove this. The Employment Rights Bill didn't happen because politicians suddenly decided to be generous. It happened because trade unions made it impossible to ignore the demands of working people. Every right we have was won by those who came before us, who organized, who struck, who stood together even when it was difficult.
Now it's our turn to continue that fight. Not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren. Not just in our own workplaces, but in solidarity with workers everywhere who are fighting for dignity, respect, and a fair share of the wealth they create.
A Call to Action
In 2026, I ask each of you to do three things:
First, if you're a union member, get more involved. Attend our branch meetings that we have every month and be part of the conversation about our strategy and priorities. This is your union branch and it's strongest when every member is engaged.
Second, if you have colleagues who aren't yet union members, talk to them. Share what the union has achieved. Explain the new rights we've won and how collective representation makes a difference. Help us grow stronger by bringing more workers into the fold.
Third, look beyond your own workplace. Support other workers in struggle. Show solidarity with those fighting for justice, whether they're in your industry or not, whether they're in your town or on the other side of the world. Our fates are bound together, and their victory is our victory.
First, if you're a union member, get more involved. Attend our branch meetings that we have every month and be part of the conversation about our strategy and priorities. This is your union branch and it's strongest when every member is engaged.
Second, if you have colleagues who aren't yet union members, talk to them. Share what the union has achieved. Explain the new rights we've won and how collective representation makes a difference. Help us grow stronger by bringing more workers into the fold.
Third, look beyond your own workplace. Support other workers in struggle. Show solidarity with those fighting for justice, whether they're in your industry or not, whether they're in your town or on the other side of the world. Our fates are bound together, and their victory is our victory.
Conclusion
The choice before us is clear. We can accept a world where wealth concentrates at the top while working people struggle to get by. We can watch as far-right movements exploit economic insecurity to attack the most vulnerable. We can allow our public services to crumble and our communities to decay.
Or we can fight back. We can organize. We can build the power of working people. We can insist on a society where everyone who works hard can afford a decent home, where public services meet people's needs, where our children inherit a world more just than the one we found.
I know which future I'm fighting for and I know that together, we can win it. In solidarity and with hope for the year ahead,
Together we are stronger. Together we will prevail.
Alan Irwin
Branch Secretary 2025
Or we can fight back. We can organize. We can build the power of working people. We can insist on a society where everyone who works hard can afford a decent home, where public services meet people's needs, where our children inherit a world more just than the one we found.
I know which future I'm fighting for and I know that together, we can win it. In solidarity and with hope for the year ahead,
Together we are stronger. Together we will prevail.
Alan Irwin
Branch Secretary 2025
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