GFTU general secretary calls for labour movement's history to be put on school curriculums

General secretary of the GFTU Doug Nicholls has called on the trade union movement to prepare the leaders of tomorrow and force the history of the labour movement onto school curriculums.

Addressing the GFTU annual conference, Mr Nicholls called on “teachers to defy the official curriculum and teach every young person about unions.”

Mr Nicholls called for a focus on trade union education, declaring that the Tories teach “arrogance” via the private schools and Oxbridge education.

He called for a more serious approach being taken to teaching about trade unions.  

The GFTU has signed a partnership agreement with the University of Wolverhampton, as a first step on this route, working with progressive academics to spread the word. “We are well placed too over the next five years to focus on the remaining priority in the movement, the engagement of young leaders. I will challenge any trade unionist or affiliate that is not seriously developing the youth manifesto we have created and anyone who is blocking the rise of young members in our ranks. Quite simply we need to develop thousands of young workers this year to ensure that we never feel as bad as we did on the day after the election this year, said Mr Nicholls.

Motions passed calling for support of the White Ribbon campaign outlawing domestic violence worldwide, support for migrant workers and highlighting the housing crisis.