The Welsh Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) has announced its candidates for the Senedd elections.
In Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf, one candidate is John Williams, a young hospitality worker, LGBT+ activist, Socialist Party member, and chair of the Cardiff general branch of Unite the union.
He says “I know that a lot of people in my industry think that politics isn’t for them, that the establishment parties aren’t offering anything different to help with our living conditions. But we need people like us in the Senedd, elected to fight for our class.”
“I’m standing because workers need guaranteed hours with no loss of pay, and flexible hours - decided by the workers not by the bosses. I’ve been involved in campaigns to make sure that hospitality workers keep all their tips - it’s disgraceful that the UK Labour government has retreated on that.”
Prior to the 2024 general election, Labour had pledged to give workers control over how tips would be allocated, but dropped the proposals in office - a move the general secretary of John’s union slammed as “insulting.”
And it’s not just UK Labour, John says. “Look at the health workers at Cwm Taf Morgannwg, taking their fight for fair pay to Labour at the Senedd, or the recent struggle of Cardiff bin workers against bullying culture and union busting behaviour by a Labour council.”
John is joined on the party list by Helen Perriam, a nurse at Llandough Hospital, and Dave Bartlett, secretary of Cardiff Trades Union Council.
Helen says she has “seen first hand what Labour and Tory cuts and privatisation have done to our NHS” and “will stand up in the Senedd to fight every cut and speak up passionately for more resources to allow nurses and health workers to provide the services we need.”
Dave helped lead the campaign that saved health facilities at Cardiff Royal Infirmary.
He says that “campaigning in our communities isn’t enough, we need a voice for the working class in the Senedd. It is time for the trade unions to end the funding of Labour and to form a mass new workers’ party instead.”
All Welsh Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candidates have pledged that, if elected, they would forgo the full £76,380 Senedd member salary, and take home only a worker’s wage.
The coalition is also standing two candidates in Gŵyr Abertawe.
END
References for claims made:
Labour climbdown on fair tips
https://www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2026/january/unite-labour-climbdown-on-fair-tips-will-hurt-hospitality-workers
Health visitors march to the Senedd
https://www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2026/march/health-visitors-crank-up-pressure-on-cwm-taf-health-board-with-eight-more-weeks-of-strikes
Cardiff bin workers
No comments:
Post a Comment