Conference

2020 National Black Members' Conference

Date

24 September 2019

Decision

Carried as Amended

Recruitment and retention have rightly been the key priority for UNISON over the last 18 months and initiates such as Grovember and the activity in May have ensured that our membership has grown and has increased UNISON’s visibility in workplaces however further work is still be done particularly amongst engaging with Black workers. This should include working with relevant bodies in UNISON to develop a recruitment strategy that engages black community groups. We know that:

1)Current strategy focuses on recruitment and retention through workplaces and utilises the stewards to achieve it.

2)Historically black members are spread across multiple cities/workplaces and at times they can be the only black person in a workplace.

3)Current UNISON membership benefits e.g. insurance plan, car insurance, home insurance, funeral, lottery, Thompsons etc but could these be adapted to meet black member needs i.e. extended insurance policy for parent and immediate family abroad.

Benefits to UNISON

a)Increase in income from all the new subscriptions.

b)Specific targeted recruitment will bring about diversity and opportunities to those that would be otherwise marginalised in our community.

c)UNISON has influence in the political arena through Labour Link. Recruitment of migrant workers strengthens UNISON�s position within the migrant population and Black members.

Targeted recruitment will bring about diversity and fresh ideas and multiculturalism which can help in organising and recruitment and community cohesion.

Although UNISON�s current strategy is to use stewards in recruitment within high density unionised workplaces, a lot more needs to be done around Black members� recruitment.

We call upon National Black Members Committee to:

i)Develop a targeted recruitment strategy for Black members.

ii)To reach out to Black members groups within the community where Black members meet and where Black members are likely to work in the public sector and also be in low paid jobs.

Conference

2020 National Black Members' Conference

Date

24 September 2019

Decision

Carried as Amended

Recruitment and retention have rightly been the key priority for UNISON over the last 18 months and initiates such as Grovember and the activity in May have ensured that our membership has grown and has increased UNISON’s visibility in workplaces however further work is still be done particularly amongst engaging with Black workers. This should include working with relevant bodies in UNISON to develop a recruitment strategy that engages black community groups. We know that:

1)Current strategy focuses on recruitment and retention through workplaces and utilises the stewards to achieve it.

2)Historically black members are spread across multiple cities/workplaces and at times they can be the only black person in a workplace.

3)Current UNISON membership benefits e.g. insurance plan, car insurance, home insurance, funeral, lottery, Thompsons etc but could these be adapted to meet black member needs i.e. extended insurance policy for parent and immediate family abroad.

Benefits to UNISON

a)Increase in income from all the new subscriptions.

b)Specific targeted recruitment will bring about diversity and opportunities to those that would be otherwise marginalised in our community.

c)UNISON has influence in the political arena through Labour Link. Recruitment of migrant workers strengthens UNISON�s position within the migrant population and Black members.

Targeted recruitment will bring about diversity and fresh ideas and multiculturalism which can help in organising and recruitment and community cohesion.

Although UNISON�s current strategy is to use stewards in recruitment within high density unionised workplaces, a lot more needs to be done around Black members� recruitment.

We call upon National Black Members Committee to:

i)Develop a targeted recruitment strategy for Black members.

ii)To reach out to Black members groups within the community where Black members meet and where Black members are likely to work in the public sector and also be in low paid jobs.