Regional Black Members events & activites

Regional Black Members Remaining Meetings 

All meetings are held at the Regional Centre between 6pm - 8pm.   All black UNISON members within the West Midlands are invited to attend.   Dates for 2010 out soon.

Your branch may also have its own black members group - contact your equalities officer or your local rep to find out more.

For more information contact the Sue Higgins or Jenny Forbes.  Email addresses on page 2 of this version of the West Midlands BM news http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/B4458.pdf

West Midlands Regional Black Members SOG

• About the BM SOG  http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/B3356.pdf
• BM Constitution   http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/B3360.pdf
• BM Officers  Chairperson  Sue Higgins Deputy Chairperson  Jenny Forbes
• Regional Black Members News Issue 1 includes contact email addresses for Sue and Jenny http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/B4458.pdf

Regional BM SOG Officers & Representatives 2009

• Chair   Sue Higgins
• Deputy Chair  Jenny Forbes
• Secretary  Beverley Smith
• Asst Secretary  Pat May
• Regional Women's  Pauline Welch & Marcia Williamson
• Regional Disability Josetter Rice & Beverley Smith
• Labour Link  Jenny Martin
• Regional Committee  Pauline Welch & Pat May
• Regional TUC  Sue Higgins
• Regional Council  Josette Rice & Pat May
• Regional Education & Training   Jacquie Burton & Sharon Crossfield
• Finance & Resources   Jenny Martin
• International Forum  Carol Sewell & Pat May
• Retired Members Cttee  Inez Dacres
• National Black Members  Pat May, Doreen Brown & Jenny Forbes/Esmie Reed
• Higher Education Spurgeon Smith
• TUC Blackworkers   Sue Higgins & Pat May

Challenging Racism in the Workplace  - Regional Pilot Project Phase 2

The West Midlands has been involved in a national pilot project, Challenging Racism in the Workplace.  This is based on encouraging branches to use the legal obligations within the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 to negotiate with employers agreements which eradicated race discrimination in the public sector. 

A 2 -day course has been developed which provides a basic introduction to the Race Equality Laws and focuses on the ways branch activists can take forward the aims of the project.  The key to this is the development of a branch race equality strategy led by a working group including senior negotiators, equality reps, BME reps, interested stewards, etc with support from Region.

Several branches have successfully benefited from this course and work continues.  If your branch would like to be included in the Challenging Racism in the Workplace project please talk to your Regional Organiser.

Remember 'War to Windrush' an exhibition visit with report back 2009

A report by Sue Higgins on a trip to the imperial war museum London in 2009 to mark the anniversary of the contribution of black service men and women.   www.unison.org.uk/War2WindrushRep09.pdf

National Black Members' Conference Registration 2010

Black Members

Fri 22 - Sun 24 January

Sage Gateshead

Look Back at  Black Members Conference 2009

A delegation of 50 West Midlands Black Members attended last year's conference which was in a very constructive and uplifting with many referrals and discussions celebrating the liberating inauguration of Barack Obama the first elected black president in the history of the United States.  

All regional motions were supported, they included:

• Fears over missing Black Children
• Lack of Service for Black Children with Autism
• Stop British American tobacco industry exploitation in developing countries
• Fairtrade

Contact Sue Higgins or Jenny Forbes (contact details on page 2 of West Midlands BM News at http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/B4458.pdf)

More on black members on the national webiste at  www.unison.org.uk/blackmembers/

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