UNIONS and Plaid Cymru’s union body, Undeb, discussed on Saturday how to combat the rise of the far right in Wales.

Caerphilly Senedd by-election victor Lindsay Whittle said the memorandum of understanding Plaid had signed with TUC Cymru, committing to working in social partnership, was important to his party.

TUC Cymru’s Chloe Rees said the trade unions had developed a programme to help union representatives in the workplace to tackle the far right.

She said: “We talk to young workers about the rise of the far right and how we need to tackle their targeting of workplaces.

“Poor pay and conditions give the far right a way into the workplace, which they use to place the blame on migrants for the workers’ poor pay.

“Our programme for young workers empowers them to tackle this and have those difficult conversations in the workplace.”

Ms Rees said the far right uses social media to organise and boost their messages of hate and unions have to combat this in some way.

Teaching union NEU Cymru’s Nicola Fitzpatrick said her union had developed an anti-racism charter in schools, and had partnered with Stand Up to Racism and the newly formed Together Alliance, which brings anti-racism groups, unions and equality campaigners together.

“Our union takes its banners to counterdemonstrations across Wales against far-right protests,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.

University and College Union (UCU) Cymru’s Jamie Insole said his union is proud of its members standing up to the far right on the streets of Wales.

“We are a welcoming nation and see it as a gift to live in a multicultural society,” Mr Insole said.