In 2009, the Department for Work and Pensions embarked on an experiment to understand the scarcity of non white faces in top managerial post in UK’s organisations. 2,000 fake job applications were created in response to 1,000 real vacancies across multiple sectors, professions and pay grades. Similar CVs – one with a “traditional Anglo-Saxon” name […]
Conference motions
UNISON has about 63,000 young members and of these there are approximately 5,000 Black members. There is a noticeable and worrying shortage of young Black members and activists in UNISON. More needs to be done to recruit young Black members and to encourage them to become involved at all levels of the union. Young Black […]
Conference believes that Black women are still hugely under-represented in senior roles at work. Research has shown that positions of power in every sector of society are dominated by men. Research conducted by Operation Black Vote and the Guardian newspaper found that only 3.5% of Black people are at the top of UK’s leading 1000 […]
This Conference notes historical evidence from the TUC has shown that Black workers are reluctant to use the employer’s policies that are put in place to protect them and fear the ramifications as a result of reporting instances of bullying and discrimination. In a UNISON survey from 2009, the evidence revealed that Black women employees […]
Conference believes that there is an inherent unfairness in the way in which our universities are being run, and the way in which the most senior staff are being rewarded whilst UNISON members and staff working in support services are paying the price. Recent research in the Guardian revealed that among 17 university heads who […]
Conference notes that despite efforts to bring further equality into society, evidence shows that Black workers are still being held back in the work place. Inequalities in employment and income persist, and for many Black workers, this impacts upon their standard of living and make them experience poverty. According to the Department for Works and […]
Conference, employers are failing in their duty of care towards staff with mental health issues. Black Staff with mental health issues are not malingers, faking it or simply seeking attention. They have a genuine illness which can be difficult to identify, treat and manage and managers and staff should show greater tolerance and patience toward […]
On 8 December 1965 the first Race Relations Act came into force in Britain. Prior to this, it was legal to discriminate against people because of the colour of their skin, and this act was the first in many equality legislation to promote non-discrimination and equality, the Act was amended in 1968. This year is […]
This Conference welcomes the recent initiative by the Greater London Region Black members which saw a group of young Black members attending an informational and educational seminar. This Conference believes this is an excellent example of the kind of work that Black members can undertake to ensure that lessons and life-experiences on organising to challenge […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]