Conference notes that many employers still know little about neurodiversity and autism, and Black disabled workers who are neurodivergent often struggle to have their needs met in the workplace. This replicates the situation in society as a whole. For example, young Black boys are often written off as disruptive in school, based on stereotypes and […]
Conference motions
UNISON is the union for Social Workers, we are best placed to organise and support members in this area. Black members make up a large proportion of this worker group and this motion seeks to build on the excellent work of Year of Black Worker and looks to grow our membership amongst Black social workers, […]
> The intersection of sexism and racism mean that often women of colour experience compounded disadvantage. A new report from the Fawcett Society supported by the #EthnicityPayGap Campaign, shows how the ‘Motherhood Pay Penalty’ means that mothers with two children take home 26% less income than women without children which impacts across the earning power […]
Despite our continued efforts as union to tackle racism in public service workplaces, continued reports from the Police, Probation, NHS and others demonstrate that significant changes before equality will ever materialise. Conference condemns the slow pace of change and the exclusion of Black workers from discussions about what reforms are necessary. Although an immediate change […]
Undertone racial tensions in the UK are so commonplace that it seems as if it is deeply rooted in our society and worst of all has the expectance of endurance to those on the receiving end. In August 2022, TUC highlighted that within the working sector microaggressions come in the form of insecure work which […]
Black Activists from the East and West Midlands became a formal committee at its first AGM in April 2023, previously it was an informal virtual network with an ad hoc meeting structure, we are called the TUC Midlands Black Activists Committee. There are Black activists from across all the affiliated TUC trade unions in the […]
EAST MIDLANDS: REGIONAL BLACK MEMBERS NETWORK MOTION 4: How do we ensure ongoing legacy of Year of the Black Workers In 2023 we celebrated Year of the Black Workers across our union and we thank the National Black Members Committee for all their efforts on our behalf. So many Regions did not have access to […]
It was reported in 2022 via a leaked National Health Service (NHS) report that Black youth and Black individuals in general were being failed by the system. They now make up 11 per cent of the population however 36 per cent of individuals detained in the highest level units are Black, with limited access to […]
Conference notes barriers faced by Black people when accessing information and treatment for mental health care. Black communities are more likely to experience stigma and shame due to negative stereotyping and attitudes of rejection around mental health awareness. In our region, Black individuals are significantly affected due to racism, discrimination and cultural insensitivity. Work-related stress […]
The history of Black women’s involvement in the union in the UK is an extended, valuable and greatly inspiring one, yet the narratives of Black women activists have often been wiped away or minimised. Black women have long led the way in organising strategies and mobilising communities in the fight against racism and justice for […]
UNISON is a growing union that strongly believes in equality, diversity, inclusion and equity and we maximise the benefits of this to increase our bargaining and campaigning strength. We recruit and encourage activism from members of all backgrounds. Despite this, many chairs of national committees, including self organised groups and service group executive chairs, do […]
In 2022 Conference passed four motions that mentioned a pay gap, recognising that any pay gap affecting any protected characteristic is unacceptable, and change is needed. Conference recognises that the current cost of living crisis has made the issue even more pressing. Conference accepts that since gender pay gap reporting was required for organisations with […]
Conference notes that disabled peopled face barriers to employment. 2022 figures show that 53.3% of disabled people were in work compared to 81.9% for non-disabled people. This gives a shocking “disability employment gap” of 28.5%. Although official government figures do not record the employment gap for Deaf native British Sign Language (BSL) users specifically, a […]
Conference notes that since the Covid-19 pandemic there has been a massive shift to hybrid working, with many of our members now splitting their time between home working and the workplace. This has resulted in benefits to many disabled workers who can manage their impairment better at home, with short breaks and more flexible start […]
Conference notes that some police services in the UK have specialised Police Link Officer with Deaf People (PLOD). This has helped to make police services more accessible to Deaf people in some areas but it remains a post code lottery without a consistent service in all parts of the UK. Turn-over of staff also means […]