#StrongUnionStrongFuture Conference – Third Sector Speech

During Community Union’s 2026 Biennial Delegates Conference National Secretary David Weeks moved the chapter for the third sector.

You can watch his speech in full below.

National Secretary for the Third Sector, David Weeks, said:

“Conference, we meet at a time of real challenge for the charity landscape, but also at a time of undeniable progress, growth and confidence within our sector of this union.

“Since our last conference, and as of last week, third sector membership has grown to over 2,200 members.

“That is an increase of over 1,000 members. A remarkable 83% growth in a single conference cycle.

“Conference, that does not happen by accident, it happens because of the dedication of our officers, the commitment of our workplace activists and the trust that workers across the sector are placing in our union. It happens because we have organised consistently, engaged meaningfully and demonstrated that we are serious about representing the interests of third sector workers.

“Our growing membership strengthens our collective voice. It gives us greater leverage to campaign for fair pay, manageable workloads, professional development and job security. Issues that are not abstract concepts, but daily realities for the people who keep our third sector running.

“In 2025, we established a fully functioning Third Sector Committee. That committee has quickly developed into a confident, strategic and active leadership body within this union.

“The committee has played a central role in shaping our third sector campaign through direct consultation with members through coordinated organising and through clear objective setting.

“It has ensured that the unique challenges facing third sector workers remain firmly on this union’s agenda.

“Strong sector organisation matters. Dedicated leadership matters, and the progress of this committee has proved that.

“Conference, we have also reached a significant milestone in securing representation at the highest level of our union.

“We now hold a seat for the first time on the National Executive Committee.

“That seat is held by Chelsie Riley, Chair of the Third Sector Committee, and it is entirely fitting that a sector comprised of nearly 70% women is represented on our executive by a woman.

“This is not symbolic representation, it is meaningful influence. And it reflects both our growth and our increasing strength within community.

“But conference, we cannot talk about progress without acknowledging context. The charity sector has been navigating what can only be described as a perfect storm. Stagnant or falling income, rising operating costs, unprecedented demand for services.

“Public trust in charities remains high, but financial resilience across the sector is widening. Organisations are being asked to do more with less, year after year.

“In this environment, charities are under pressure, but workers cannot be the shock absorbers of systematic underfunding.

“We cannot accept a future where organisations become financially unsustainable and we cannot accept a future where burnout, poor mental health and low pay become normalised.

“That is why our campaign is so important. At its heart is the development of a third sector charter, a clear statement of what sustainable employment in our sector must look like.

“The charter will call for fair, balanced workloads to prevent burnout. It will demand access to confidential mental health support. It will promote proper training and professional development for all staff, and it will push for fair pay and improved working conditions to address the retention crisis that so many charities have faced.

“A sustainable sector must be built on sustainable employment practice. There is no other way. Conference, we are incredibly proud to have signed a recognition agreement with Macmillan Cancer Support, covering around 1200 workers.

“This hybrid model brings together Community and the organisation’s internal representative body, Our Voice.

“It is the first arrangement of its kind in the sector and it represents innovation, collaboration and a significant step forward for union representation in charities.

“Conference, despite the headwinds facing the wider sector, our position within it is stronger than ever. Our membership is expanding, our structures are strengthening, our influence is growing at every level of this union.

“But growth brings responsibility. We must maintain our organising momentum. We must continue to recruit. We must deepen our workplace presence and we must ensure that the confidence we are building translates into lasting improvements for our members.

“In difficult times for the sector our collective strength has never mattered more. The third sector exists to serve communities at their most vulnerable moments. It is only right that the workers who deliver those services are valued, protected and empowered.

“Conference, we are growing, we are organising, we are influencing, and together we will ensure that our momentum does not just continue, but accelerates.”