- Conference
- 2004 National Black Members' Conference
- Date
- 30 October 2003
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that in the last two to three decades the social reality has changed drastically. Heavy industries have suffered a meltdown, whole region become de-industrialised, and traditional working and social environments have changed radically. This has led to a growth in social exclusion and had a damaging effect on community cohesion. At the same time racism and racist attitudes have exploded. This is a development that has occurred in Britain and several Western European countries.
Alarming local government election results in the North East including Sunderland and recently Newcastle upon Tyne and Stanley where the BNP won a substantial proportion of the vote indicate that some trade union members including UNISON members may have voted for the BNP. Disenchantment with the Labour Government policies, relentless barrage of anti asylum seeker myths, lies and propaganda spitted out by the right-wing press and BNP activities are partly responsible and must inevitably influence our members.
Apart from the obvious external factors, like neo-liberalism and globalisation, that are said to encourage right-wing extremist attitudes, anti-fascist trade unionists have now started to put other, more internal problems under the magnifying glass.
Trade union activists often stand at the forefront of anti-fascist mobilisation and struggle but we must also, at the same time, now develop serious and decisive strategies to counter the racist and right wing attitudes and idea that are peddled among our fellow trade union members.
Conference calls upon the National Black Members’ Committee to:
1)work with the National Executive Council to develop a mainstreamed anti-racist anti-fascist education course and campaigning pack for lay officials and where possible members;
2)work with the National Executive Council and Affiliated Political Fund to press the Government to repeal the Thatcherite legislation, which prevents trade unions from expelling fascist members;
3)ask the NEC to develop a press pack which can be used at a national, regional and branch level to counter the barrage of misinformation about asylum seekers and the negative stereotyping of the black and minority ethnic community.