UNIONS missed their last opportunity to “change the balance of forces in the world of work” and must not do so again, Communication Workers Union leader Dave Ward warned the TUC special congress on Saturday.

Unions had a chance to turn things around after the Covid pandemic: “it was laid bare to everyone that without working-class people, society didn’t function.”

But change “never happened. Not because of the Tories. Not because of the Labour Party.

“Because we didn’t take the opportunity to bring all the strength we have collectively together.

“What happened instead is that our members, working-class people up and down the UK, had to suffer, through gross mismanagement of the economy by the Tories, the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades.”

Union members’ response through a wave of strikes showed the courage and commitment that existed in the movement, he argued.

“But if we’re going to defeat this Bill, then we have to use the same courage, the same collectivism.”

Mr Ward challenged TUC general secretary Paul Nowak to hold “every single union who supports this statement to account” and for every union to share an action plan on resisting the law before the TUC demo in Cheltenham on January 27.

“We are the biggest power in this country — when we realise it.”

RMT leader Mick Lynch also warned against complacency in battling the new law.

“There’s been a lot of talk in this room this morning about employers who are going to help us out somehow,” he said, referring to arguments that many employers oppose the anti-strike legislation and will agree not to issue work notices.

“I don’t believe that. I think employers will use every measure in this legislation to defeat trade union action, strikes and workers.

“The congress statement is the starting point for the struggle to defeat this law. It contains important commitments that we need to fulfil. It says we will equip workers to resist this at the workplace. It means we will support unions financially, politically, industrially and practically if they are sanctioned.

“In rail, the first step will be to formally demand — not request — of all employers and public bodies who have oversight of services, that they will never issue a work notice.”