- Conference
- 2024 National Black Members' Conference
- Date
- 18 September 2023
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference notes that 2023 was designated UNISON’s year of Black workers, with the aim of ‘establishing legacy to generate change’.
Conference welcomes all the work that has been put into marking the year of Black workers, but notes that there is still a long way to go, particularly in regards to young Black members in UNISON.
Conference believes that it is essential that the voices of young Black workers are heard at all levels of UNISON, representing their issues and concerns.
Conference notes that young Black workers are still more likely to be in insecure and precarious work, are still more likely to be low paid, and are less likely to take up apprenticeships and other training and work schemes. Furthermore, despite historically low levels of unemployment for young workers, young Black workers are more likely to be un- or under-employed.
Young Black members are under-represented as members and activists in UNISON and conference believes that following the year of Black workers it is important to address this and find solutions.
Furthermore, following the rule change passed in June 2023 at National Delegate Conference, increasing the age limit for young members, conference believes this is an opportunity to take positive action to recruit more young Black workers to the union and encourage young Black members to become more active in UNISON.
Conference asks the National Black Members Committee to:
1. Work with the National Young Members Forum to develop a strategy to increase the number of young Black members in UNISON and to encourage more Black members to play an active role in their branches, regions, or nationally;
2. Survey young Black members to identify any barriers to joining or becoming active in UNISON;
3. Work with the National Young Members Forum to establish a Young Black Members Network;
4. Once the Young Black Members Network is established, consider establishing a mentoring and buddying scheme for young Black members who are active in UNISON;
5. Review guidance on mentoring and buddying and consider updating if this is appropriate;
6. Continue to promote UNISON’s resources for young Black members including the Young Black Members video, Defining Black and the Young Black Members award;
7. Consider producing further resources aimed at encouraging young Black members to join UNISON and become active in the union;
8. Consider making further recommendations, such as a reserved seat on the National Black Members Committee for a young Black member.