- Conference
- 2019 National Black Members' Conference
- Date
- 11 September 2018
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
UNISON has about 63,000 young members and of these there are approximately 5,000 Black members.
There is a noticeable and worrying shortage of young Black members and activists in UNISON. More needs to be done to recruit young Black members and to encourage them to become involved at all levels of the union.
Young Black members are often dealing with discrimination and racism in their workplace and can sometimes be isolated as a consequence of these issues. It is therefore, imperative that we do all that we can to recruit and support young Black members to ensure that their voice is heard and to increase representation within our structures.
Role models within our communities can be a useful resource in recruiting young Black members by mentoring them. Black men and women who have established themselves within UNISON and can offer support, encouragement and guidance to young Black members.
We recognise the importance of training and are aware that young Black members are not always informed of the training available to them within UNISON. This needs to be addressed as part of our overarching strategy of recruiting young Black members.
Young Black LGBT members also need to be encouraged to participate in regional and national Self-Organised Group (SOG) structures.
Conference calls on the National Black Members Committee to:
1)Work with the National Young Members Forum to devise strategies for recruiting young Black members and consider ways of promoting the training available to young Black members;
2)Encourage regional and branch Black members and Young member’s forum to have the recruitment of young Black members on their agenda and work programmes;
3)Consider introducing a recruitment award for branches or regions that run successful recruitment campaigns of young Black members;
4)Select a young Black member as a speaker at Black member’s conference 2020.
5)Run a workshop on recruiting young Black members at 2020 Black member’s conference.
6)Discuss a mentoring programme to be developed at branch and regional level to target young Black members.
7)Work with communications and the National Young Member’s Forum to devise new recruitment material aimed at young Black members.
8) Work with other SOG’s to ensure that Black LGBT members are included in any recruitment activities and campaigns.
9) Work with Young Members Forum to actively encourage young Black LGBT members to attend and participate in branches and other structures within the union.