NEWS ROUND-UP
TSA gears up for lobbying offensive with key questions for the new Government
The Textile Services Association (TSA) says it has a series of key questions for the Labour government to answer and is to lobby the new influx of MPs. It will do this alongside UK Hospitality (UKH) and the Confederation for British Industry (CBI). The Association is calling on the Government to focus on sustainability, particularly in two key areas: healthcare, where it says the UK can save £millions by switching to reusable PPE, and recycling, where Government action could help the TSA’s initiative to stop thousands of tonnes of hospitality linens ending up in landfill each year.
Then there’s the fundamental need for help as the commercial laundry industry transitions to carbon net zero, and the TSA is also raising the question of labour
shortages and apprenticeship levy fund spending. In a more targeted area, the Association is looking to Government to help promote the understanding of safer laundry practices within the social care sector.
In recent years the TSA, via its Lobbying Steering Group, has had significant success with raising the profile of the laundry industry and engaging with both MPs and Government officials. However, TSA CEO, David Stevens, said there can be no complacency.
“We have to keep pushing at the door,” he said. “For too long we were overlooked – as was underlined during the lockdowns. We need to continue to increase the awareness of the importance of our industry to UK Plc. A successful laundry industry can help the Government achieve its aspirations for economic growth.” Nor is the TSA a lone voice. “We will continue to work alongside our partners, such as UKH and the CBI, to strengthen our lobbying message,” said Stevens. “We have a very close relationship with UKH and will be coordinating efforts in areas such as the apprenticeship levy, where we are keen to see the funds being allowed to be spent on
different types of training. We will also be contributing to the CBI’s campaigns on the future of work and skills and their drive for progress on energy and climate change.” The TSA is calling on its members to reach out to their local MP and invite them to their laundries. “This proved to be a very successful initiative last year, resulting in several meetings with MPs, questions in the house and cross party discussions, “ said Stevens. “MPs learned about the work we do and the support we need, and were happy to take up our cause. We need to ensure the 355 new MPs are equally well informed.”
To help laundries initiate contact with their local MP, the TSA has put together a template invitation. The Lobbying Steering Group has also issued three tips for members engaging in the effort: Send the invitation both via email and as a physical letter in the post.
Be persistent, if you don’t receive a reply make sure to contact them again and again.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear back as not all MPs will engage – but if we can find the ones that will, it will have a big impact.
TSA announces Autumn Conference speakers and agenda
Two days of discussion over and networking aimed at helping the laundry industry work smarter has been lined up by the Textile Services Association (TSA) which is returning to the Hilton at St Georges Park in Burton-upon-Trent for its Autumn Conference. The event, 16—17 October, is designed to give management teams the chance to meet and discuss the biggest issues and latest news affecting the laundry industry.
The Conference will feature a range of workshops and sessions with the team from the TSA alongside experts giving insight on a wide range of vital topics. These topics were selected based on the results of a survey of TSA members aimed at learning the areas they wished to see discussed, to help make the conference as relevant as possible.
Sessions include NHS England Net Zero explaining how to ensure you can deliver a fully compliant tender for an NHS
4 LCN | October 2024
contract; as well as a session from Heather Grant, Principal Employment Law Adviser from Worknest, providing information about current and upcoming HR and employment law.
Other sessions will look at fire prevention in laundries, recycling workwear garments, and measuring your microplastics footprint.
Delegates will also be treated to keynote addresses from inspirational speakers. The first off the grid is British Touring Car Championship driver Nicolas Hamilton, half-brother of Lewis Hamilton, who will explain lessons he has learned from his career as the first disabled athlete to compete in the championship. He’ll talk about his determination not to let his cerebral palsy limit him, and the importance of ambition and teamwork in achieving your goals.
An industry dinner will be held on the evening of the 16 October offering a chance
to reconnect with colleagues across the industry in a more informal manner. “The Autumn conference is a great way for management and leadership within the laundry industry to get together, build relationships and engage with the challenges and opportunities we’re currently grappling with,” said David Stevens, CEO of the TSA. “By working together we can help each other grow and develop.”
The Conference looks set to be as popular as in previous years, and with limited spaces, booking early is the best way to avoid disappointment. Tickets for the conference are £140+VAT, with an additional £50+VAT if you wish to attend the dinner. Hotel rooms can be booked for £125+VAT. For more information and to book spaces, download and complete the booking form from the events section at
tsa-uk.org and send it to
events@tsa-uk.org.
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