Cost of Living

Conference notes that we are in a cost of living crisis with inflation and energy prices soaring, outstripping pay deals in every sector. The increases in interest rates and the impact on mortgages, and therefore also private renting, as a result of the Truss government’s failed economic policies have only heightened pressures on households. In […]

Social Care Crisis – The Urgent Need for Reform an

Conference notes that it has debated many motions over recent years on social care, including for older people. However, the problems remain. Conference is appalled that adult social care continues to exist in a state of permanent crisis and that the sector remains severely underfunded, with hundreds of thousands of elderly and disabled people being […]

Defend Our Right to Vote – Voter ID is Voter Suppr

Conference is deeply concerned at the changes in the law surrounding the requirement for mandatory voter ID at all general and by-elections in the UK and many other elections in England and Wales as part of the Elections Act passed in April last year. This is the requirement to show photographic proof of identity at […]

Young Black workers and the cost of living crisis

Conference notes that the cost of living in the UK has surged to crisis levels, with increasing energy prices, food prices and housing costs, against a background of wages which over the past decade have not kept pace with inflation. Conference further notes the specific impact of the cost of living crisis on Black workers. […]

Eliminating racism in Scottish sport

“25th July 2022, Scottish Cricket was found to have caused systemic discrimination and racism over many years, in a report by Plan4Sport called Changing The Boundaries. They found the governance and leadership practices of Cricket Scotland to be institutionally racist. It confirms 448 examples that demonstrated institutional racism. Reoccurring themes were mapped against 31 indicators […]

The impact of the cost-of-living rise on Black low paid workers

The current cost-of-living crisis affects everyone especially given the huge rise in energy prices, but there is evidence that the impact will be disproportionately felt by those who are already struggling to make ends meet and particularly Black members who are over-represented in low wage jobs and often with limited career progression. Research conducted with […]

Cost of living impact on mental illness in Black workers

This Conference notes that Black communities continue to experience complex factors that significantly and adversely affect their mental health. The recent cost of living crisis is impacting significantly on Black members across the country. Black communities are already more likely to experience distressing events that affect them adversely due to racism, discrimination and inequity affecting […]

Black workers and non-apparent impairments

Conference notes that many employers still refuse to accept a worker is disabled and entitled to reasonable adjustments unless their impairment is obvious. However many impairments are not immediately apparent. Black people disproportionately experience impairments such as lupus, diabetes and sickle cell and thalassemia which are impairments that aren’t always obvious to other people. Some […]

Securing the legacy of the Year of Disabled Workers – an intersectional approach

Conference notes that 2022 was UNISON’s very successful Year of Disabled Workers. UNISON takes an intersectional approach to fighting for disability equality in the workplace and many of our Black disabled members have taken key roles in delivering some of the work undertaken in 2022, from leading webinars and events to agreeing new guidance and […]

Oppose the Nationality and Borders Act 2022

This Conference notes: 1)· The Nationality and Borders Act (NABA) become law on 28 June 2022; 2)· The government’s continuing plans for offshore detention in Rwanda, and the Care4Calais and PCS union legal challenge that contributed to the halting of the first planned flight taking detained refugees to Rwanda; 3)That the case was is currently […]

Solidarity with the people of Yemen and Yemeni trade unions

National Black Members Conference notes that the war in Yemen is in its eighth year and continues to lead to an ongoing humanitarian disaster. We further note evidence of attacks upon trade unionists in Yemen. We believe that UNISON and other UK trade unions should respond to the crisis in Yemen with the same urgency […]

Equality is UNISON business

Conference notes that one of UNISON’s main aims is, as per UNISON’s Rule Book, “to seek to ensure equality of treatment and fair representation for all members and to work for the elimination of discrimination on grounds of race, gender, sexuality, gender identity, disability, age or creed”. To achieve this, UNISON seeks for branches to […]

Detention of refugees, asylum seekers and others without their status in the UK

Conference condemns the continued political and physical attacks on refugees, asylum seekers and others without their status in the UK many of whom are UNISON Black Members. Conference accepts that many people, even with the right to work, are often in precarious situations due to their immigration status. Conference notes indefinite immigration detention in the […]

Cost of living crisis and Black workers

Conference notes that everything is going up fast – 12% now but forecasts of upwards to 22%. However, the pay of many UNISON members has been effectively frozen for almost 12 years. We can’t make ends meet! We have a cost-of-living crisis because of the decisions made by political leaders and their friends running big […]

Amendment to National Black Members’ Conference Rules and Standing Orders No. 9

In section 9. Limit of speeches Delete 9.4 “If there has been no speaker against the motion, no questions asked about the motion and any amendments have been accepted by the mover of the motion then there is no right of reply as there is nothing to reply to.”