Austerity – How much worse will it get for Black members?

Since the disastrous election of a majority Tory Government in May 2015 the impact of public sector and welfare cuts has worsened for Black people. The Tories first budget has deepened austerity with more than 1.25 million Black households and 4 million Black people worse off under the range of budget measures that will have […]

Labour Party reaching out to the Black Communities

This Conference notes that in his acceptance speech, Jeremy Corbyn promised that the Labour Party, with him as leader, will reach out to everyone in this country and nobody would be left on the side. The relationship between the Labour Party and Black communities needs to be a key focus of any and all steps […]

Black member involvement must be meaningful

Conference notes with some distress that despite the UNISON ruling which allows for the creation of Black members self organised groups, protected seats at the highest lay member level, fairness and proportionality rules for conference and numerous motions which promote the increased involvement of Black members throughout our structures, many Black members continue to report […]

Black Organ Donation – Can help save a Life

Conference, for many years medical science has been discovering life changing and life saving ways to increase life expectancy of human beings. However one of the areas that need to be highlighted for enhancing and saving life is organ donation. A donation is where a person donates their organs and tissues for transplant. A transplant […]

Genocide of the forgotten people; The Rohingya

Conference, many people will not have heard of the Rohingya people, yet as the Economist noted these are some of the most persecuted minorities of people. The Rohingya people are Muslims from the Rakhine state in Burma and speak the Rohingya language. As far back as 1982 the Burmese government has denied the Rohingya citizenship, […]

NMC criteria for overseas nurses

Our group has been campaigning for the last three years to challenge the English criteria demanded by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to allow overseas nurses to register. We have brought this motion to our own Regional Council and to Black Members Conference in previous years. Unfortunately, the criteria still remain: overseas nurses must […]

Prostate Cancer and Black Men

The statistic 1 in 4 people is often associated with Mental Health, in Black Communities the statistic also relates to the prevalence of Prostate Cancer in Black Men. The charity Prostate Cancer UK has carried out research which shows that 1 in 4 Black Men will get prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime. […]

Black women in low paid occupations

Conference notes with concern that the TUC report “Living on the Margins”, published in March 2015, identified a 12.7% increase in the number of Black workers in low paid jobs between 2011 and 2014. 37.6% of Black workers are in occupations which are traditionally low paid and dominated by women – cleaning, care work and […]

Black Youth Unemployment

This conference welcomes the decision by the Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee to undertake an Inquiry into race, ethnicity and employment. Conference is particularly concerned about the high rate of Black youth unemployment. The Black community has always experienced high unemployment during previous recession. However, this recession has led to severe cuts in community led […]

Black Representation in Public Life

Conference notes and welcomes the Scottish Government’s First Ministers proposal of the 50/50 by 2020 plan; a pledge on gender equality to make public appointments within public bodies more diverse. Conference believes that all public bodies should include board members who reflect British society – people from all walks of life; those with a vast […]

Labour and the Black Vote 2015

Conference, our worst fears were realised on Friday 8th May 2015 as we woke to find that the nightmare of the past 5 years would continue for the next 5, but this time under a small Tory Majority Government. Nearly 2 million people voted for the Conservative Party giving them a 12 seat majority. In […]

Justice for Sheku Bayoh

Conference, Sheku Bayoh originally from Sierra Leone, aged 31 years old, died on Sunday 3rd May, near Edinburgh, whilst in police custody. He was pronounced dead at an Edinburgh hospital just after 9am. Unsubstantiated reports state he was left unconscious after being arrested by at first four, and then a further five police officers, who […]

Rise in Islamophobia

The number of race hate crimes have increased recently since the incidents in Tunisia and Syria. We all pay tribute to the families who have lost relatives in these senseless killings of innocent people. These acts have been deplored by all religious and political leaders, but the EDL and other right winged groups have exploited […]

Prostate Cancer – A Risk for Black Men

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. This type of cancer usually develops slowly and for this reason, you may not see any signs that you have it for many years. Only men have a prostate it is a small gland about a size and shape of a walnut and […]

Branch Self Organised Groups

Conference celebrates the fact the since the birth of UNISON self-organisation has had an essential role in the development and participation of Black members, women, Disabled people and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender members. However, the majority of UNISON branches do not have their own local Self Organised Groups. One of the barriers to setting […]