Trade unionists in north-west England plan to spearhead a renewed campaign against austerity.

More than one hundred delegates from 33 unions, four county trade councils and the Trades Union Congress’s equality forums gathered in Liverpool on Saturday for the annual conference of North West TUC (NWTUC).

The conference began with moving tributes to Bob Crow and Tony Benn.

There were debates on building resistance to austerity in workplaces and communities across the region, which is still suffering rising unemployment despite government claims of “recovery.”

Lawrence Dunne of the Public and Commercial Services union led a debate on welfare and in-work poverty, calling for action to “unite employed and unemployed workers in common purpose.”

“The Tories are at war with the working class and sanctions are their weapon of choice,” he said.

“Our members in job centres are being disciplined for not meeting targets on sanctioning even though ministers deny such targets exist.

“This region must take the lead and we must work together to defend the principles of Beveridge and expose the myths around social security which are being used to demonise our class.”

Unison’s regional secretary Kevan Nelson won support for a regional demonstration on September 6 as part of a programme of anti-austerity activity in the run-up to the TUC’s “Britain Needs a Pay Rise” national march and rally on October 18.

The conference heard from TUC President Mohammed Taj and his New Zealand counterpart Helen Kelly, who called for new models of trade union structure “to attract those currently not associated with workplace organisation.”

Child poverty, pay-day loans, anti-fascism and blacklisting were also discussed and delegates backed a motion from Merseyside TUC to support London’s May Day march and demonstration in honour of Bob Crow.

North West TUC Regional Secretary Lynn Collins said: “The diversity of issues and the determination to work together were the two overriding themes.

“Our work plan for the year ahead will reflect this, and you can be sure that the NWTUC will continue to be the strong and united voice that workers in the region deserve.”