TRAINING and partnership will be the focus for the next two years for Blackpool's new Trades Council leader.

President Ian Hodson stressed the need for partnership with industry to delegates at the Trades Club in his first address, but warned: "I don't believe in one-sided partnership but true partnership, accepting each other's right to exist and being able to discuss and improve the position of our members and their families." With union membership growing rapidly since the bad image they were given in the 1970s and 1980s, Mr Hodson believes that their role across the whole of Blackpool and Fylde will be of vital importance, and he underlined the need for the union movement to involve more young people.

"We must be clear that we are as relevant to improving standards in the workplace today as we have ever been."