Methodists will attend Trade Union Congress

Church to join campaign to protect vulnerable workers

Methodists will attend the Trade Union Congress in Liverpool on Tuesday (September 15) to build further relationships with Trade Unionists.

David Gamble, President of the Methodist Conference, and Dr Richard Vautrey, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference, will meet with Unite trade union to discuss work-place issues brought on by the recession. They will also sign up to a campaign led by the Trade Union movement to extend the rights of vulnerable employees, and meet with the President of the Trade Union Congress.

Paul Morrison, Policy Adviser, Revd Rosa Leto, Chair of Chaplains Council, and Revd David Wrighton from Methodist Chaplaincy, will also attend and listen to the debates.

Revd David Wrighton, Deputy Chaplaincy Coordinator, said: “There is a lot of common ground between the TUC and the Methodist Church. The TUC is dealing with issues like migration, unemployment, bullying at work, which are also areas that the Church is concerned about. The Methodist Church has always been involved in social issues and a great deal of what the TUC does is good, solid social action work.”

The Methodist Church has historical links with the Trade Union movement dating back to the Tolpuddle Martyrs in the 19th Century.


Source: Methodist News Service 11/09/2009