- Conference
- 2023 National Black Members’ Conference
- Date
- 29 September 2022
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that to impose the changes needed to achieve promises of racial justice, equity and inclusion, organisations require all hands-on deck. Black workers continue to demand action against racial injustice and movement toward more equitable workplaces – ones where all employees belong, regardless of their racial or ethnic identities.
To build a culture of belonging and reap the many benefits for employers and employees, leaders first require a clear understanding of what it means to belong at work.
We belong at work when we are seen for our unique contributions, connected to our co-workers, supported in our daily work and career development, and proud of our organisation’s values and purpose. However, those unique contributions should not be stifled, hidden or misappropriated.
We have yet to see the depth of the toll that the racial and gender inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic have taken on employees’ sense of belonging in the workplace.
After all, belonging is essential to humans and psychologists rank our need to belong on par with our need for love.
Conference calls on the National Black Members Committee (NBMC) to:
1)Work with other self-organised groups to develop a model equity policy to support branches, regions and SOG’s in negotiating with employers to create an environment that empowers Black workers by ensuring they have everything they individually need to succeed;
2)Work with service groups in UNISON to ensure they have a strategy to eradicate negative disproportionate impact of any employment policies or practices and to work towards a fair and equal workplace.