Local leaders and union representatives are rallying behind the 140th Durham Miner's Gala, set for this weekend. The event, known as 'The Big Meeting', is one of the world's largest celebrations of community, trade unionism, and working-class culture, expected to draw up to 200,000 people to Durham's streets for the annual parade and brass bands.
Unison General Secretary to Speak
The general secretary of Unison, the UK's largest union with over 1.4 million members, Andrea Egan, will address the crowd on Saturday. Her speech will emphasise that the 'collective voice and power of unions is needed as much as ever if the UK is to become fairer'.
Egan will say: 'Millions upon millions of people in this country are struggling. Families with children are going hungry and public services are still in tatters. Staff are overworked, underpaid and disrespected while wealth piles up at the top.' She will add that 'even with all that is facing us, politicians are more interested in spending money on weapons and foreign wars than investing in people.'
Strike Ballot Underway
Her speech comes as Unison launched a month-long strike ballot of council and school workers across England and Wales earlier this week over a 3.3% pay offer. This includes workers at Durham and South Tyneside Councils. Around 200,000 employees are being asked whether they want to take industrial action if the wage proposal does not increase.
Egan will declare that workers need to be 'organising hard, getting ready to fight and preparing to strike'. She will state: 'There must be a message to those in power, bosses and politicians alike, that it's the working class who keep the country going.' Union members need to build 'real power', she will say, so those in charge 'sit up when we say we won't accept pay cuts and poverty, we won't accept a broken country and we won't accept a society stacked against us anymore'.
Historical Significance
Egan will draw on the gala's history, noting: 'Durham reminds us of our shared history. It's always been the working class who've been the driving force behind social change.' She will reference the struggles of the early 19th century: 'In the factories, mills and slums, the working class had no unions to protect them. But they still agitated, fought and rebelled because they knew their lives were worth more.' She will conclude: 'We have the power to change the world for the better. That's what our forerunners did for us and that's what we're going to do for future generations.'
Funding and Support
The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, led by Kim McGuinness, has provided £50,000 funding for the event through the Mayor's Events and Participation Programme. The grant will support essential security measures, medical and site services, including toilets and infrastructure needed around the parade. The funding aims to strengthen the region's identity, promote community engagement, and contribute to the visitor economy.
