June is a busy month for UNISON. Our conferences bring members together to decide the union’s policies and priorities. Branches, self-organised groups and other bodies submit motions on what they want to see happen and members then have the opportunity to vote on them.
Special Delegate Conference
This year there is a Special Delegate Conference which will look very different to the typical National Delegate Conference. Members will be able to speak to and vote on motions via a virtual platform. The Black members’ representative attending this year is Lola Oyewusi. Lola will move the two motions submitted by the National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC).
Motions of interest to Black members
Motion 67 – Covid-19 and Black Members (submitted by the National Black Members’ Committee)
Motion 68 – Championing Black Members in Public Services (submitted by the National Black Members’ Committee)
Motion 8 – Creating Fairer Workplaces for the Post Lockdown World (submitted by Newcastle Hospitals)
Motion 36 – Black Voices Matter (submitted by University of South Wales)
Motion 69 – Covid 19 and the Detrimental Impact to Black Communities (submitted by West Midlands Region)
Motion 70 – Black Lives Matter – a Trade Union Issue (submitted by Camden)
You can view the full text of the motions in the Special Delegate Conference final agenda.
Special Service Group Conferences
In addition to the Special Delegate Conference, three service groups will also be having their special virtual decision-making conferences in June.
The Special Local Government Conference takes place on 13th June and the Black members’ representatives are Bev Miller and Mo Tsentides. They will be moving the National Black Members’ Committee motion – The impact of Covid-19 on Black workers in local government (motion 18). The full text of the motion can be found in the final agenda.
Our delegate to the Special Energy Conference is Patrick Yu who will be moving motion 2 – Addressing inequality in the Energy Sector for Black workers in a post pandemic world. The full text of the motion can be found on page 2 of the Energy Conference final agenda.
Aniqa Hashmi will be attending the Special Water, Environment and Transport (WET) Conference and will move motion 7 – The impact of Covid-19 on Black workers in transport (submitted by the National Black Members’ Committee). The full text of the motion can be found on page 4 of the WET Conference final agenda.