- Conference
- 2015 National Black Members' Conference
- Date
- 15 September 2014
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that on 7 May 2015 a new government will be elected in Westminster. Whatever its political make-up, there will be repercussions for Black communities
Many Black workers, particularly disabled, LGBT and low paid Black workers, don’t vote because they don’t believe it will change anything. Some have cast their votes for the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) despite their policies of reducing taxes for the rich and selling off the National Health Service (NHS). Conference is concerned that government plans to introduce individual electoral registration (IER) and end the legal requirement to register to vote will have a further detrimental effect on turn-out and efforts to defeat the far right electorally.
Recent research by Operation Black Vote shows that Black voters could be decisive in the 2015 general election. In England and Wales there are 168 constituencies where black voters outnumber the majority held by the sitting MP.
For example, in North Warwickshire, the Conservative MP has a majority of 54 and there are 3381 Black voters. In Norwich South, the Liberal Democrats have a majority of 310 and there are 7066 Black voters.
The ConservativeLib Dem government has pursued a range of policies that have savaged public services and attacked workers’ rights resulting in:
a) Tens of thousands of UNISON members losing their job;
b) cuts in pay, terms and conditions of employment;
c) attacks in trade union rights and facilities agreement;
d) dilution of regulations protecting TUPE transferred workers;
e) introduction of employment tribunal fees;
f) reduction of public services provided to Black communities.
The government has also attacked equality provisions, including:
g) cutting compensation payments for workplace discrimination;
h) attempting to scrap the Equality Act;
i) watering down the equality duty;
j) slashing the budget of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The record of the last Labour government was not perfect. However, it implemented legislation which had a significantly positive impact on Black communities including the minimum wage, proactive equality laws, equal employment rights for part time workers and a large increase in public spending on health and education.
Under the current electoral system, the only political party that can stop the Conservatives, Lib Dems and UKIP is Labour. However the votes of Black members should not be taken for granted. Black members in UNISON should set out expectations for the next Labour government. These expectations need to reverse the injustices of the ConDems and set out practical solutions to better the livelihoods of Black people.
Conference instructs the National Black Members Committee to:
1)Request that the NEC engages with political parties to ensure that race equality issues and the needs of Black communities are considered in all policies;
2)Take immediate action to urge all UNISON Black members to ensure they are registered to vote;
3)Advise members why the election of a Labour government in 2015 will be the best result for Black UNISON members;
4)Continue to work with UNISON Labour Link on a programme aimed at increasing the number of Black Labour candidates in local, national and European elections.