Cyngor Gwynedd signs Twf - The Welsh Language at Work Charter

Cyngor Gwynedd has strengthened its position as a leading organisation in nurturing a culture that puts the Welsh language at the heart of its work, being the first workplace in Wales to sign and adopt Twf – The Welsh Language at Work Charter.

A special event was held in the Council Chamber to celebrate the signing of the charter in the company of representatives of the TUC, Unison, GMB and Unite unions and Lowri Williams, Strategic Director, Comisiynydd y Gymraeg. This follows Cyngor Gwynedd Cabinet's decision last December to proceed with the adoption of the charter.

TUC Cymru has developed and adopted the Twf Charter to help workers, their trade union branches and employers to work together to create bilingual workplaces. There is also a specific emphasis on ensuring an increase in the use of the Welsh language at work and on ensuring that workers have access to representation by trade unions in their chosen language.

By agreeing to adopt and sign the charter, the trade unions and Cyngor Gwynedd as an employer commit to work together on the basis of four core principles, namely:

• Growth and Welsh Language rights – a commitment to growing the Welsh language in the workplace.
• Inclusion and linguistic justice – creating a work culture that is supportive of the use of Welsh.
• Leadership and accountability – embedding a visible and inclusive bilingual ethos and culture.
• Continuous learning and confidence building – providing ongoing support for staff to learn and improve their Welsh language skills.

Promoting and supporting the use of the Welsh language by staff – and ensuring that all services are available through the medium of Welsh – has been one of the Council's priorities since its inception. This is reflected in the Council's Plan, in the authority's language policy and in the fact that 99.1% of the Council's staff have skills in Welsh.

The poet Meirion MacIntyre Huws was commissioned to write an englyn to mark the occasion, which was read out to close the event.

“Awn â gwên i'n llefydd gwaith, - yn drindod

                     Drwy undeb cawn effaith;

Awn i hybu'n y gobaith

O'u troi oll yn gartra' i'r iaith.”

Councillor Nia Jeffreys, Cyngor Gwynedd Leader said:

“The Twf Charter brings together two movements that are close to my heart - the language movement and the trade unions movement. Emphasising the right for Council employees and the people of Gwynedd to use their language is extremely important, and that is what this charter does.

“I’m extremely proud that Cyngor Gwynedd is the first workplace in Wales to sign – the Twf Charter is incredibly important, and our aim is to see growth in the use of the language across all of the Council’s work.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has been part of the process and for the opportunity to celebrate at this special event.”

Councillor Llio Elenid Owen, Cyngor Gwynedd's Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Welsh Language, added:

"I'm proud that Cyngor Gwynedd is the first workplace in Wales to collaborate with TUC Cymru and representatives from Unison, GMB and Unite union branches to sign and adopt Twf: The Welsh Language at Work Charter."

"The principles demonstrate a commitment to working in partnership in providing an inclusive bilingual workplace and to promote and enable growth in the use of the Welsh language at work.

“I hope that other organisations will soon follow Cyngor Gwynedd in adopting and signing the charter."

Dr Mandy James, TUC Cymru Bilingual Communications Officer stated:

“Congratulations to Cyngor Gwynedd for being the first local authority to sign and commit to Siarter Twf in Wales. Siarter Twf and its principles will support Cyngor Gwynedd to work in social partnership with the trade union branches - Unsain, GMB and Unite - to create an inclusive Welsh workplace and growth in the use of Cymraeg at work. Trade unions have a critical role in delivering on linguistic justice for workers in Wales; safeguarding and promoting workers’ Welsh language rights as a matter of fairness, equality and equity; and ensuring that workplaces are safe and free from prejudice and judgement.

“Unions support members and workers to identify, organise and secure more opportunities for everyone to increasingly use Welsh at work, and develop their Welsh language skills. Using the Welsh language is a valuable and practical skill in the workplace and enriches our social life and communities in Wales. The Twf Charter will assist with planning and ensuring that the inclusive Welsh and bilingual workplaces of the future are spaces where all workers can use their valuable bilingual skills.”