- Conference
- 2011 National Black Members' Conference
- Date
- 7 January 2011
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that:
The number of Black members attending National Delegates Conference (NDC) is significantly low. Often Black members in our branches are not aware or provided the opportunity to attend NDC, despite UNISON having rules on proportionality and fair representation.
Conference recognizes Unison’s use of Proportionality and Fair Representation in its ‘Scheme of Branch Representation for National Delegates Conference’. This guidance states:
‘It is important that all groups of members are represented at National Delegates Conference (NDC). Groups that have been consistently under-represented include low paid, young, disabled and Black members.’ The guidance also states ‘The National Executive Council (NEC) requires that all parts of the union include Black members within all UNISON activities. Branches and regions are urged to ensure that delegations include Black members in fair proportion to the workforce profile of the employers covered by the branch.’
UNISON Code of Good Branch Practice 4.2 states: ‘The election of branch delegations to national conferences and regional councils and committees must meet with the rules laid down for the size and composition of delegations, which aim to ensure that delegations are reflective of the membership.’
Currently National Black Members Committee (NBMC) mandates 2 members to attend NDC in line with their constitution.
But in reality we know that some branches are broadly free to choose to send Black members or not, some branches wish to send Black members to NDC every year, some do not. But more recently, it has been highlighted within the Northern Region that some Black members, however active in their respective branch, have faced a real difficulty in getting the necessary support to attend NDC. While as a Region, the support for diverse representation may be there; this is not being translated into active commitment by individual branches.
In order to increase the participation of more Black members to attend from their branches.
Conference calls upon the NBMC to liaise and work with the National Executive Council (NEC) to encourage branches to ensure that in the spirit of proportionality to actively
1.Encourage more Black members to attend and represent their branches at NDC.
Conference also insists that the National Black Members Committee;-
2.Adopts a more pro active and affirmative approach to this issue.
3.Monitor and assess Black members lack of access to NDC.
4.Liaise with the NEC to highlight, review and explore all necessary means to remedy situations where a discrepancy exists.
5.Determine if this particular issue requires a motion to NDC by means of a Rule Change.
6.Put together a more strongly worded statement to branches and Regions regarding Black Representation to NDC.
7.Explore any other method that is open to our disposal.
8.Request the NBMC in liaison with the NEC to continuously undertake an audit of Black representation at NDC and to give a report to the 2012 NBMC Conference.