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 […]

NMC criteria for overseas nurses

Many of our fellow migrant workers, who are registered nurses in their own country, have been working here as care assistants because they did not obtain the results required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for their English (IELTS) test (i.e. 7 in each section). The results required are of a very high standard– […]

Wellbeing, Health and Safety in the Workplace

Conference notes the Con Dem Coalition’s welfare reforms agenda has forced public services and the voluntary sector to significantly reduce their workforce in the name of efficiency savings. Presently there is insufficient information to show the disproportionate impact on black workers and their communities. Alongside this, there is evidence from many workplaces showing that training […]

Organising the Black vote

The results from the 2011 Census showed that in England and Wales approximately 14% of the population identified as non white. This is a rise from the 2001 Census figure of 7.9%. The Census results also revealed the greater dispersal of Black people across the UK. This changing demographic across the UK, coupled with a […]

End Violence Against Black Women

Black women are oppressed by both racism and sexism, so face a double strand of oppression in society as a whole. Violence against women and girls is the most widespread form of abuse in the world. Globally, one in three women will be raped or beaten in their lifetime. Statistics reveal the levels of violence […]

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 […]

Mental health issues for Black workers

Conference notes: a)The findings of the 2005 “Count Me In” census in England and the following censuses that people from Black Caribbean, Black African and other Black backgrounds are over represented in psychiatric care. b)The report by Care Quality Commission published in 2010 that found that 23% of mental health inpatients were from Black communities […]

Challenging Anti-Immigration Campaigns

Conference notes with concern the decision by the Home Office and the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) to trial the use of vans with the slogans “Here illegally? Go home or face arrest.” This slogan, with its echoes of the National Front in the 1970s and 1980s will alarm several Black workers and residents. The […]

Attacks on Muslims and Campaigning Against Hate

UNISON’s National Delegate Conference condemned the brutal murder of Lee Rigby, a serving soldier, in Woolwich on 22 May 2013. It was an event that was shocking and horrific, and left the nation numb with bewilderment. We pay tribute to the family of Mr Rigby who have appealed for no reprisal attacks to take place […]

Campaign for a European Recognition of Slavery

Mr. Jean-Jacob Bicep and Ms. Eva Joly, courageous Green MEPs from France, who are championing the promotion in and outside the European Parliament, under Rule 123 of the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, of the Written Declaration on Establishing a European Day in Recognition of the Victims of European Colonisation and Colonial Slavery, submitted on 15th […]

Effects on the Black Community after Woolwich

Lee Rigby’s murder shocked a nation. His funeral held on 12th July 2012 was both moving and reminded us all of his brutal killing which made a nation hold its breath with disbelief and sent a message that every UK citizen on our streets were not safe, if we do nothing. The personal tragedy for […]