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What does the TUC do?The TUC has a long and distinguished history. Since it was set up in 1868, it has worked hard to represent and defend the interests of people at work. Their aims are:
In practice, this means that the TUC lobbies the government, political parties and employers, advises and exchanges views with organisations that deal with employment issues, and campaigns to protect or improve people's rights at work. The scope of the TUC's work can be summarised under five separate sections:
1. Advice, support and help for workersThe TUC provides help and advice for working people in the UK. It advises on people's rights at work, by explaining employment law. It helps workers protect their health and safety in the workplace and advises on financial matters, such as pay and pensions. The TUC can also help workers find a union to represent them in the workplace. There is a section dedicated to employees' rights at work, including employment rights, guidance on health and safety, money issues and a jargon-buster at the 'workSMART' Web site, produced by the TUC. 2. Campaigning activitiesThe TUC acts as an awareness-raising body. It pursues targets for workplace improvements such as fair access to pensions, aims to boost union membership, and seeks better rights for temporary workers. The major TUC campaigns at present are:
3. Lobbying government in the UK and EuropeThe TUC has a role to play in influencing government in the UK and Europe. The TUC has published its own response to the Labour Government's so-called 'Big Conversation'. It has also lobbied in Europe to affect change, welcoming the European Parliament's decision in February 2004 to ask the European Commission to end the UK's individual opt-out from the 48 hour average limit on the working week. 4. Dispute resolutionA good example of the TUC's role in industrial relations negotiations was the 2004 dispute between the AUT (Association of University Teachers) and the UCEA (University and Colleges Employers Association): The dispute itself came at the end of two years of negotiations on a new pay framework between the employers and seven higher education trades unions. The new framework aimed to produce a unified pay structure, with a single national pay spine for all staff. In order to ensure that work of equal value should be rewarded by equal pay, the new structure was to be underpinned with a system of job evaluation. 
Six out of the seven unions in higher education accepted the change in pay structures, either by voting for them or by working towards their acceptance. But the AUT was reluctant to accept the changes, believing that they would erode the differential between the pay for academic and administrative staff. In addition, the union was concerned that the deal would downgrade staff across the sector and lead to substantial pay losses. At the start of March 2004, the TUC brought the two parties together in a bid to resolve the dispute. Talks involved representatives from the AUT and the UCEA, as well as TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber. Following a series of three meetings, considerable progress had been made. The union's proposed industrial action may be cancelled after the union's annual conference at the end of March. You can track the progress of the dispute and note how the atmosphere grew bitter as industrial action was planned. The Web sites of the two protagonists are listed below:
Use their news archives to find how the atmosphere between the two parties soured as their positions became more entrenched. Some examples of these strained relations are given below: 5. Member servicesTUC Member Services include:
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