Conference notes that recent months have seen sections of the media and politicians attempt to discredit multiculturalism by holding it responsible for various social problems. Multiculturalism is the view that everybody should be able to live as they please, with the culture they want, so long as this does not harm others. It is a […]
Conference motions
Conference notes that too often the history, perspectives and contributions of African, Asian and Caribbean communities are not reflected in the educational curriculum, employment or society. Crimes committed against Black people including empire and colonialism are often presented as positive achievements with the reality of what they meant for millions of people and their ongoing […]
Conference noted the Moving On Up report published by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) in March 2007 which found that Caribbean, Pakistani and Bangladeshi girls obtain better GCSE grades, including Maths and English than white British boys. Yet Caribbean, Bangladeshi and Pakistani women graduates seeking work are five times more likely to be unemployed than […]
Conference is deeply concerned that Black healthcare workers and social services staff who work in communities are often the subject of racist abuse and sometimes racist violence. Hate crime against primary healthcare workers and other frontline staff is increasing. Conference welcomes the policy of Zero Tolerance in NHS departments such as A&E, hospital wards, etc […]
National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) is concerned to learn that:- Birmingham City Council (BCC) is carrying out radical changes to the way it delivers services. A newspaper article in July 2007, revealed the Council’s plan to axe 1000 jobs in the Finance Department by October 2007, as part of its cost cutting exercise. The Council […]
Conference recognises 1.The first English Slavery expedition was carried out by Sir John Hawkins in 1562 and the transatlantic slave trade lasted for over 200 years. 2.This year marks 201 years since the Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade; the Bill first proposed by Tory reformer William Wilberforce received Royal Assent on 25 […]
Conference welcomes 8th March as International Women’s Day and the advances women have made however, there is still a long way to go. Conferences understand that violence against women, in addition to physical and sexual violence, can include trafficking, honour killings and female genital mutilation. Conference further recognises that domestic violence is the most common […]
Conference deplores current anti trade union legislation there. In addition Black members in Scottish branches express deep concern at the UK/UK Occupying forces and Iraqi government’s reluctance to repeal the Baathist inspired laws prohibiting trade union activity in the country. Conference therefore urges the National Black Members’ Committee to call for the National Executive Council, […]
Conference welcomes the current legal requirement of carrying out security checks for all employees working with vulnerable people. However, Conference deplores the impact of the current procedures on Black workers. In particular it deplores the high costs involved which are quite often detrimental to Black people especially if due to unavoidable circumstances they cannot get […]
The Black members have always supported UNISON’s International campaign against on going serious human rights abuses and the humanitarian crisis in Burma. Therefore, Conference once again this year, calls upon the NBMC to work with the National Executive Council’s International Committee in urging the British Government to lobby the Government of Portugal through their EU […]
1.add additional final Para before “Conference asks” to read “The series of comments by MP’s such as Jack Straw and Phil Woolas on the nijab and Muslims gave a green light to media to initiate a vitriolic campaign against the Muslim community which led to racist attacks, 2.Point 2 – after the words “National Assembly […]
The National Black Members’ Conference is disappointed by the decision of Leeds Crown Court to acquit Nick Griffin and Mark Collett on charges of incitement to racial hatred on 11 November 2006. Attacking Muslims and Islam in the way that the British National Party (BNP) does is racist and whips up hostility towards Muslims and […]
Conference notes that recent trade union conferences have acknowledged that a working woman’s place is in her union and that UNISON should be committed to supporting those women who want to play an active part in trade union work. The North West Region has been working with Liverpool University and the Northern Ireland Region in […]
Conference notes that we need to provide better access to Black members for a range of training but especially in relation to raising their political awareness. Many of the delegates to our National Black Members Conference have had limited if any opportunity to engage in political debate in terms of race; we don’t seem to […]
Conference notes that Cable News Network (CNN) news reported in May 2006 that almost $17m is being withheld by the state of Mississippi while authorities probe a ‘multitude of discrepancies’ in invoices that contractors submitted for the removal of debris from Hurricane Katrina. The state was forced to stop making payments in late April to […]