The TUC, the Trades Union Congress: the national organisation that Britain's trade unions belong to.

The TUC, the Trades Union CongressTUC，也就是「英國總工會」（Trades Union Congress）: that Britain's trade unions belong to英國各工會所隸屬的 the national organisation全國性組織。

It is not itself a union and it does not employ the workers or sign their contracts — the individual unions do that. The TUC is the umbrella above them: it speaks for the union movement as a whole to the government and the news media, holds a yearly Congress where the member unions debate and vote, and does research and campaigning on things like pay, working hours and safety at work.

It它 is not itself a union本身不是一個工會, and it does not employ the workers or sign their contracts也不會雇用勞工或簽訂勞動合約——the individual unions do that這些事是個別工會在做的。The TUC is the umbrella above themTUC 是這些工會之上的傘狀組織: it speaks for the union movement as a whole to the government and the news media它代表整個工會運動向政府和新聞媒體發聲, holds a yearly Congress舉辦每年一次的大會 where the member unions debate and vote讓各會員工會在會中辯論、投票, and does research and campaigning on things like pay, working hours and safety at work並針對薪資、工時、工作安全這類議題做研究和倡議。

It was founded in 1868, which makes it one of the oldest bodies of its kind anywhere. Historically it has been close to the Labour Party, though it is a separate organisation.

It它 was founded in 1868成立於1868年, which makes it one of the oldest bodies of its kind anywhere使它成為同類組織裡最古老的之一。Historically從歷史上看 it一直 has been close to the Labour Party和工黨關係密切, though it is a separate organisation不過它是一個獨立的組織。

Almost always written and said as the three letters, with 'the' in front.

Almost always written and said as the three letters幾乎都寫成、也念成這三個字母, with 'the' in front前面加上'the'。

The rough American equivalent is the AFL-CIO; in Taiwan the nearest thing is 全國總工會.

The rough American equivalent大致對應的美國組織 is the AFL-CIO是 AFL-CIO; in Taiwan在台灣 the nearest thing最接近的 is 全國總工會是全國總工會。