WALES is at its best when we’re united. Every trade unionist knows this is true.

Our proud trade union history shows us what we can achieve when we put our differences aside and work together towards a common goal — paid holidays, safer workplaces, government-funded school meals and keeping care homes open.

But what of the rest of Wales? Do our colleagues, friends and family understand the strength of unity?

Two months ago, TUC Cymru launched our campaign, United Cymru, to start a conversation with people about the Wales they want to see and live in.

We did this against a backdrop of a rise in division in Welsh communities and workplaces, and a stark rise in misinformation online.

In the eight weeks preceding the election, we were bowled over by the response to the United Cymru campaign. This campaign, combined with our work encouraging people to use their vote, has reached over 380,000 people.

We’ve seen communities awash with our colourful posters displaying messages rejecting hate and division, stickers welcoming diversity, and social media films instilling hope. And we’ve helped trade unionists and progressive campaigners to have conversations about politics, trade union values, and how we can work together to build a Wales that works for everyone.  


The success of this campaign has been felt most powerfully in the conversations we had in workplaces and communities in Wales — the engagement we’ve had for a United Cymru demonstrates that the hope for a better future is still very much alive.

Wales may have elected a progressive government, but there is much work still to be done in our workplaces, communities and online spaces. We regularly receive reports from reps about the extent of misinformation around net zero, immigration and women’s safety in workplaces. And misinformation is also rife online and being encountered by more than 90 per cent of the UK population, according to the Alan Turing Institute.

So, the United Cymru campaign will continue.

TUC Cymru will keep supporting trade union reps and activists with how to have constructive conversations with colleagues, friends and family through training and our United Cymru mailing list and WhatsApp group. And we will support individual activists to become more engaged with the trade union movement.

We will keep working with our affiliated unions to further strengthen links branches and members to identify and tackle the rise of far-right narratives and misinformation, and how this can be used as an organising opportunity.

And we will continue our digital campaigning so that workers across Wales see positive narratives about how we can use our strength in unity to build a Wales that works for everyone.

TUC Cymru also aims to keep making sure that the voice of working people is clearly represented within government. We look forward to working constructively with the next Welsh government and the Senedd to embed Fair Work principles throughout the country and to build on the strong partnership arrangements we have helped establish.

People deserve a government that delivers for them, and we are ready to work constructively with the incoming administration to achieve this.

This week the trade union movement in Wales meets in Llandudno for TUC Cymru’s biennial congress to set our direction for the next two years.

Whatever the outcome of this week’s discussions we know that, as we look ahead to 2026 and beyond, our commitment remains unwavering. We aim to grow our movement, strengthen solidarity between unions, and build a Wales that works for everyone.

And we will do that in unity and in solidarity.

Julie Cook and Linsey Imms are acting general secretaries of TUC Cymru.

Join the United Cymru campaign by ordering your posters and stickers from unitedcymru.tuc.org.uk.