ELECTION OF A DELEGATE TO THE NATIONAL DELEGATES CONFERENCE & THE NATIONAL SERVICE GROUP CONFERENCES REPRESENTING UNISON BLACK MEMBERS FROM 2012 AND THEREAFTER

This Conference notes that since vesting day the National Black Members Committee (NBMC) have consistently elected from within its own committee, representation to National Delegate Conference (NDC). This is despite nominations from regions being submitted for consideration. This Conference believes that this course of action denies the wider membership of the National Black Members Conference […]

CHALLENGING RACISM IN THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU)

Conference, 2010 is the tenth anniversary of the EU’s adoption of the Race Equality Directive – and yet throughout Europe there has been an alarming rise in racist rhetoric, the targeting of Black communities and migrant communities as well as the exploitation of racism by some European Governments to deflect public attention from recession and […]

RECESSION AND PUBLIC SERVICE CUTBACKS

This conference strongly condemns the brutal attacks on the Public Sector by the Con Dem Government and the disproportionate effects it is having on Black people and Black communities. Black unemployment, already high before the recession, has increased sharply. ·For African-Caribbean people it has risen from 13% in 2002 to 15.4% by June 2010. ·For […]

STOP CHILD LABOUR IN MALAWI’S TOBACCO INDUSTRIES

Conference notes in a Channel 4 documentary titled “Unreported World” how the programme revealed the tight grip that tobacco manufacturers have on the Malawi people. Most major brand cigarettes are produced using Malawian tobacco owing to its preferred texture. According to a BBC news report Malawi accounts for 140,000 tonnes of the world’s annual output […]

YOUNG UNEMPLOYMENT AND YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE

Conference notes that almost 50% of Black people aged between 16-24 were unemployed compared to white young people. Conference believes that this situation is unacceptable and diminishes dreams and hopes, The Coalition Government must address youth unemployment problem and redirect public spending funds to resolve the plight of young Black people by giving this matter […]

NON-EU (EUROPEAN UNION) MIGRANT WORKERS

Conference notes that: Migrant workers are constantly undervalued, deskilled, overworked, and underpaid within the labour workforce. Migrant workers continue to work in substandard conditions taking employment well below their knowledge and abilities simply to survive. Migrant workers currently comprise only 13% of the British workforce but make a critical contribution to the UK economy. Migrant […]

SPENDING CUTS AND THE DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECTS ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY

Conference, 0n 16th December 2009, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in conjunction with the Government Office (GEO) produced a report that confirm a marked increase in the unemployment rate of Black people during the 2008 recession. Members of the Caribbean and African community have seen unemployment levels rise by 6.9% from 13.2% in […]

SICKLE CELL AND THALASSAEMIA

Conference, Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia are inherited, genetic conditions which is caused by both parents being carriers of the haemoglobin otherwise known as the S gene, for thalassaemia its either A – Alpha or B- Beta. If both parents are carriers there is a 1 in 4 chance of any children produced within the relationship […]

SPENDING CUTS TO EDUCATION AND THE CONSEQUENCES TO YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE

Conference notes that since the Conservation/Lib Dem Coalition Government came into power there have been announcements of excessive cuts to public spending amounting to £1.166bn. The Area Based Grants available to Birmingham City Council via the Department for Education would normally be £31 .638 million this is set to be reduced to £7.582 million 24%. […]

DON’T CON-DEM YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE

Conference believes that young Black people are amongst those most likely to suffer as a consequence of the damaging policies being pursued by the Con-Dem Government. Conference also believes that: ·the job losses predicted by the Treasury of up to 600,000 jobs in the public sector and up to 700,000 in the private sector will […]

STOP CHILD RAPE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Conference is concerned about the plight of the South African girls highlighted in Channel 4’s Dispatches titled “The Lost Girls of South Africa”. The programme followed four girls aged 11 and 13 struggling to come to terms with their rape and the social stigma attached to it. From the comments posted on the Channel 4 […]

AIR PASSENGER DUTY TAXATION (WORLD CUP DUTY TAX?)

In November 2009 Conference notes that this Government introduced a two – phase increase to Air Passenger Duty (APD) Tax – the next increase is planned for November 2010. APD falls into four band, with passengers being charged according to how far they fly. The increases will hit the medium and long haul travellers the […]

INCREASING THE INVOLVEMENT OF SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN IN UNISON ACTIVITIES

This Conference notes with concern the under representation in UNISON structures and the seeming lack of involvement of South Asian women in UNISON. As part of UNISON’s approach to equality and its own equality scheme it is essential that this issue is addressed. Therefore Conference instructs the National Black Members Committee (NBMC) to; 1.Carry out […]

PUBLIC SERVICE BUDGETARY CUTS AND IMPACT UPON BLACK WORKERS

Conference, The Coalition Government has announced huge scale spending reviews across many of the Public Services employer groups. As much as 40% reductions have been tabled alongside the other various forms of efficiency savings that have been introduced. We believe that the swingeing cuts will have a disproportionate effect on Black Workers, and predominantly the […]

PENSIONS

The Government has formed an independent Public Service Pensions Commission to undertake a fundamental structural review of public service pension provision by Budget 2011. We believe that the fact that private sector pensions are inadequate does not mean that public sector pensions should be. This action if taken will have a detrimental effect on Black […]