Domestic Abuse

The Cymru/Wales Regional Women’s Committee recognises the ever present need of support, advice and guidance required for those experiencing domestic abuse. Despite the rise in demand for domestic abuse support, austerity measures have slashed charity funding leaving sufferers vulnerable and isolated. Employers have a duty of care to their employees. For those experiencing domestic abuse, […]

Sexualisation of women in the media

Conference condemns the continual sexualisation of women in the media and finds it unacceptable the way in which women are presented to the public often posing partially clothed in a sexual or passive way. The presence of these imagines on the covers of magazines and newspapers can encourage and reinforce outdated stereotypical views of women. […]

Support for those suffereing Domestic Violence

Conference notes the rise in domestic violence; a staggering 1 million females were victims of domestic violence last year accounting for 1 in 5 of all assaults. It has long been understood that domestic violence tends to increase during difficult periods for society, such as recession, and in these austere times with cuts to police […]

ZERO HOURS

Conference deeply concerned at the improper use of Zero Hours contracts throughout the employment sectors. Employers are targeting workers via health and social care settings, education, hotel services and many more work areas, to use these contracts as a means of reducing costs and maximising profits. However, they are disproportionately affecting women workers and their […]

Education and Opportunity

In Teesside, which is south of the Northern Region, schools reported and had to deal with 359 racist incidents in the last academic year. In Middlesbrough there was 191 racist school based incidents alone. A recent survey by the VOICE newspaper showed that more than 80% of their readers claimed to have experienced racism when […]

Impact of Housing Benefits Cuts and Changes for Black Tenants

Conference notes that the cuts in Housing Benefit and the imposition of the Bedroom Tax are forcing many Black families into a position of double jeopardy. Especially where it is alleged that there is under occupation in social housing homes. Black households are more likely to be housed in social housing and likely to be […]

Protecting members against racism in the workplace

Migrant workers continue to be extremely vulnerable to race discrimination and false allegations of abuse from patients / care home residents and their families. They are also less likely to have colleagues coming forward as supportive witnesses. While UNISON already supports its members from overt racist discrimination from an employer, there is not always a […]

The Coalition Government proposed Landlords to become Immigration Officers by checking immigration status of their prospective Tenants from 2014.

Conference is extremely alarmed by the CONDEM Government intention to make legislative requirement for the UK Landlords to check the immigration status of all prospective Tenants from 2014. Conference is concerned that Landlords will be required by Law to request evidence from the prospective tenants and their families, friends, and any other person (s) living […]

Black LGBT Activism

Conference believes in the importance of Black LGBT activism within UNISON at branch, regional and national level and notes that encouraging this and breaking down any barriers is an important organising issue. Recruitment and training can play a crucial role in increasing Black LGBT participation. Black LGBT members have vital contributions to make to ensuring […]

Black LGBT workers – the cost of the Con-Dem cuts

Conference condemns the head-long cuts programme of the Tory-led coalition government. Conference notes that their ideology-driven austerity agenda – which they publicly claim is for the sake of our economy – is in fact standing in the way of delivering the jobs and growth that we need. Conference welcomes UNISON’s exposure of this government’s failings […]

Media and the impact on Black Communities

Conference the brutal murder of Lee Rigby was both horrific and left a nation shocked at this brutal act on the streets of Woolwich. Conference condemns the actions of those that carried out this murder and reject stated motivation for their actions. However, Conference is deeply concerned at the increasing attacks, verbal, physical attacks and […]

Extending the Definition of Hate Crime

Conference notes with alarm that there has been a significant drop in the reporting of Hate Crime to the relevant authorities in the last few years. Conference also notes that there has been an escalating attack on Mosques, Muslim shops, Muslim people and their families, yet this is not covered in the legislation as a […]

Join the Race Equality and Social Justice Campaign for a Living Wage

The coalitions government’s ongoing austerity measures, cuts to jobs and public services, pay freezes in the public sector, privatisation, low pay, lack of socially affordable housing, the bedroom tax, rent increases, and zero hour contracts are all key elements in the current drastic reduction of living standards experienced by Black workers and Black communities since […]

Stop and Search is a Discriminatory Practice against the Black Communities

Conference, the 1999 McPherson report uncovered deep rooted institutional racism within the Metropolitan Police Force. In the aftermath of this report the police were forced to review stop and search practices, as these were a very obvious manifestation of police prejudice. However, recent years have seen police forces return to their old ways. The figures […]

Low proportion of Black people in Senior Management Positions in Higher Education

Conference notes that in the UK there are 168 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Research conducted by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) reports that Black people represents 8.6 per cent of higher education academic staff and 6.9 per cent of professional support staff. Conference is aware that in the UK the Higher Education context has changed […]