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Campaigning for workers’ rights in the south west
As trade unionists gather for their annual conference, battles against health service privatisation and exploitation of migrant workers highlight the urgent need to counter Reform’s divisive message, writes KERRY BAIGENT

TRADE UNIONISTS are heading to the South West TUC (SWTUC) annual conference and AGM this weekend to participate in an agenda packed full of guest speakers, workshops and motions. We will be debating a range of important topics, including artificial intelligence, the migrant worker visa campaign, the Employment Rights Bill and the Unison motion against the current proposal to privatise community health services in Bath and NE Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire.

Unison will be speaking to delegates as we ramp up our campaign for Wes Streeting to call in the decision made in October 2024 to hand over community health services to a private healthcare firm affecting 2,000 workers.

HCRG (formerly Virgin Care) are owned by the private equity firm Twenty20 Capital and the contract was awarded without proper consultation and without meeting several legal obligations. This weekend we will be calling on affiliates to sign petitions, lobby councils and make their own submissions to the Secretary of State.

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