By Justin Parkinson
BBC News political reporter, in Brighton |
 Here are some of the main points of Day One of the TUC's annual conference in Brighton. QUOTE OF THE DAY No doubt we will be blamed for letting in the Tories, but the fault lies with Gordon Brown and the Labour government. If the Tories win the election, the government only have themselves to blame.
Mark Serwotka, Public and Commercial Services Union THE BIG ISSUE The word on everyone's lips at the Brighton Centre was "pay", closely followed by "strike". The anger at the government's policy on public sector pay is more palpable than last year, with delegates now able to cite the rising cost of living and the credit crunch as reasons for ministers to do a volte face. The Unison-PCS motion demanding a series of mass demonstrations passed with barely a murmur of dissent. There was less support for the Prison Officers' Association's call for a public sector-wide strike, but the proposal fell only after a "card vote" - called when a show of hands is too close to call. Chancellor Alistair Darling cannot be looking forward to the address he has to give on Tuesday. Many are predicting a "winter of discontent" - the chancellor will be expecting an afternoon of discomfort. THE BROWNOMETER Union delegates usually have a gripe with the government, of whatever political persuasion, but there is a definite sense here that Gordon Brown and his colleagues are not listening to their demands. IMAGE OF THE DAY
PCS members serve up rather a tasty looking basket off plastic eggs, to remind onlookers of their members' "hand-to-mouth" existence. LOOK AHEAD There is little chance of the talk about pay subsiding, but - apart from Alistair Darling's visit - there will be debates on the NHS, education, the economy and vulnerable workers on Tuesday. Universities and Skills Secretary John Denham will also give a speech.
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