Member-led Democracy

UNISON takes pride in being a member-led, democratic union. It is in this spirit that conference notes with concern the decision taken by our Higher Education Service Group Executive (HESGE) to overturn the democratic decision taken by our members in the 2016 ballot over pay. This decision also overturned the mandate set at this conference […]

Higher Education workers deserve fair pay

Conference notes that members in Higher Education have lost the equivalent of between £1,585 and £8,248 over the last six years, while at the same time having to deliver a professional service despite severe cuts, redundancies, reorganisations and increased workloads. Members continue to carry out their duties even though their pay has failed to keep […]

Stop and search of Black people

Conference notes that the subject of stop and search has been debated on many occasions, but nothing has changed. People of African heritage are six times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police in England and Wales under Section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and 29 times as […]

Access to Immigration Advice and Representation

For Black members who are not fully settled in the UK or do not have British Citizenship, immigration is a major issue. Immigration rules come and go and change overnight (as our European migrant worker colleagues are finding out!). A change in a shortage occupation list; a new salary threshold; a new English test requirement […]

Recruiting and organising Black members in the fragmented workforce

It is important that Black workers and members are equipped for the challenges within the changing and evolving landscape of the UK today. Conference recognises that a high proportion of Black workers eligible to join UNISON work in the “fragmented workforce” where they experience low pay and poor working conditions. Conference believes that recruitment is […]

Mental Health Issues Affecting Young Black People

This National Black Members’ Conference notes that Black people are far more likely to be diagnosed with a serious mental illness and in Britain are 17 times more likely than white counterparts to be diagnosed with a psychotic illness. There is a problem of inequality when it comes to mental health. With ongoing austerity, poverty, […]

Immigration and the effects of the EU Referendum and the Brexit Vote

The EU Referendum on 23 June and the decision of the United Kingdom (UK) to leave the European Union sent shock waves through communities with the immigration debate becoming ever more toxic. The campaign itself resulted in unacceptable language and propaganda being used about immigration generating fear, division and a ‘them and us’ rhetoric. Since […]

Discrimination in the NHS

The NHS employs 1.4 million people, many of these staff are Black, they work as brain surgeons, researchers, nurses, CQC inspectors, care workers to name a few. The NHS that relies on Black staff to function also discriminates against Black people in terms of opportunity, recruitment, promotion, bullying, victimisation (particularly if they whistle blow) and […]

Improving our work to reach Black young members

This Conference notes that, at time of writing, there are around 3,700 Black young members in UNISON membership who have chosen to identify their ethnic origin on the RMS i.e. have identified themselves as either Asian other, Bangladeshi, Black UK, Black African, Black Caribbean, Black other, Chinese, Indian, or Pakistani. This represents approximately 6% of […]