FRINGE MEETING CONFERENCE 2026 - COMBATING THE FAR-RIGHT NARRATIVE

Why the trade union movement is proud to be woke, knowing workers are stronger together regardless of background, race, gender or sexuality

I was very proud to chair the above fringe meeting with the TUC lead Kate Llewellyn, along with Mark Fairhurst, POA National Chair, and the turnout and contribution from delegates was excellent. There was some excellent debate, and some myths were put to bed.

One issue that has always irked me is the hijacking of the word “woke”. Trade unionism has always been about solidarity, fairness and collective dignity. That is why I am proud to be woke. Before the word was turned into a political punchline, it meant being awake to injustice and being aware of discrimination, inequality and exploitation.

These values are not foreign to the trade union movement; they are at its core. The Labour movement was built by people who refused to ignore unfairness. Trade unionists fought against child labour, unsafe factories, poverty pay and discrimination in the workplace. They stood with workers who were dismissed for organising, women denied equal pay, migrants treated as disposable labour and minorities excluded from opportunity.

In every generation, unions have challenged systems that told ordinary people to stay silent and accept less. That is what being “woke” originally represented, consciousness of injustice and the determination to confront it.

Yet today the word has been hijacked by sections of the far right and turned into a lazy insult. “Woke” is now thrown at anyone who talks about racism, sexism, climate justice, LGBT rights or economic inequality. It is used to shut down debate rather than engage with it. Powerful media voices and political opportunists have deliberately distorted the term because they understand something important in that solidarity is threatening to those who profit from division.

The attack on “woke” culture is often an attack on empathy itself. Trade unionism teaches us that workers are stronger together, regardless of background, race, gender or sexuality. The far right, by contrast, thrives on suspicion and resentment. Instead of asking why wages are stagnant or why public services are crumbling, they encourage workers to blame migrants, minorities or campaigners for social justice. It is an old tactic: divide and rule.

Being a trade unionist means rejecting that politics of division. It means recognising the dignity of work is connected to dignity in society. You could not defend workers’ rights while ignoring discrimination against some workers. You cannot claim to believe in solidarity while mocking people who speak out against injustice. So yes, I am proud to be woke. Not because it is fashionable, but because awareness and compassion are essential to building a fair society. If being woke means standing against exploitation, defending equality and refusing to look away from injustice, then I as a trade unionist will wear the label and tag with pride because I will not allow individuals to dictate the true meaning of being woke.

 

STEVE GILLAN
GENERAL SECRETARY