LABOUR is collapsing in its heartlands and must “rediscover its identity,” TUC Cymru’s Congress warned today.

Less than a fortnight after the party was humiliated at the Senedd elections, winning just nine of 96 seats after having led every Welsh government since devolution, the FBU’s Gareth Tovey told the party its mission was to “stand firmly with working people, [be] rooted in our communities.

“It must be a Labour Party that is not afraid … to stand shoulder to shoulder with workers on picket lines, to fight wealth inequality. It was founded to give working people a political voice.

“We must see a change of direction from Labour, not just [a change of] leader, but a significant change in direction and the trade union movement must have a say in that process.”

The FBU’s emergency motion prompted debate on the political fallout from the elections, with the CWU’s Kevin Beazer warning that Reform, which came second to Plaid Cymru in Wales, could be in government in a few years.

“We should all be aware of the ever-growing right-wing populist threat. On the political discourse that runs through all our communities, which unfortunately we’re seeing in workplaces and among representatives in the trade union movement, which needs to be tackled [by] engaging with people on a daily basis.

“We need to send a clear message to the Labour Party and [British] government about how things must change. We need hope for working people.”

Mr Tovey and Mr Beazer called for engagement with the Plaid Cymru government to “deliver tangible change for working people.”

In his opening address, TUC Cymru president Tom Hoyle called for social partnership arrangements built under Labour administrations to be maintained by Plaid Cymru, though a general council statement — after some speakers spoke of social partnership’s failure to deliver for workers in dispute — stressed that it existed to help shape services and procurement rules but did not replace direct bargaining over pay, pensions, terms and conditions.

Swansea Trades Council’s Dave Warren argued that “I don’t think social partnership is working for people in Wales,” and that Plaid Cymru should be engaged “with our eyes open.

“Let’s not pretend we’re all one big happy family because we’re not, as trade unionists we have to fight.”