Conference is clear about the impact of HR processes can have in fairness and equality at work. One example is talent management strategies, which are often designed and implemented in a manner that can lead to a significant disparity in opportunities for Black employees across sectors. The Chartered Institute of People Development (CIPD) defines Talent […]
Conference motions
Conference is pleased with the decision at National Delegate Conference (NDC) to make 2024 the Year of LGBT+ workers. This follows on from 2021, the Year of Young Workers, 2022 the Year of Disabled Workers and 2023 the Year of Black Workers. Conference, it is appropriate that in celebrating this victory at the National Delegates […]
Conference following the success of UNISON’s Year of Black Workers 2023 (YOBW23), the NBMC wish to place on record our thanks to all of our activists who have driven this success throughout our union. Throughout the year we saw a renewed and focussed approach to challenging racism in the workplace and the experiences of Black […]
The National Health Service (NHS) reported that 3.25 million individuals had contact with mental health services during 2021/22 which is approximately 5.8 percent of the population. The Mental Health Foundation tells us that 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24, yet many young people have not had […]
Conference notes that despite the significant numbers of Black workers in the frontline workforce, we are disproportionately underrepresented in managerial and senior levels and tend to be concentrated in the lower levels. We know this is a product of institutional racism, which means Black workers are often overlooked for development opportunities and promotion. Black workers […]
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 […]
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 […]
In October 2022 Christina McAnea warned that UNISON-led strikes in 2023 could represent the largest strike by NHS workers since the early 1980s. More recently, UNISON posted a news update on the 5th of July this year titled “[the] Government should commit to NHS pay talks now to avoid possible strikes next year.” Many Young […]