Black Members Conference

Report

21 – 23 January 2011

Glasgow

Main conference began Friday afternoon with the chair welcoming everyone followed by the first speaker. Annual Report was presented and accepted by conference.

In total 30 Motions, 1 Amendment, 2 Composite and 2 Emergency Motions were debated over the weekend and carried/passed. Two Amendments were ruled out of order as well as 3 Emergency Motions.

Speakers after speakers spoke about the Equality Impact Assessment and the importance of ensuring this is carried out, Public Services budgetary cuts and the impact of these on Black people. Marybeth, delegate from Cymru/Wales spoke in support of Motion ‘Supporting our Migrant Workers against discrimination and exploitation’ National Black Members Committee (NBMC) were also supporting it. I spoke in support of ‘Elections of delegate to National Delegate Conference’ which the NBMC were opposing.

Some speakers stated that the cuts by the Con – Dem was to do with the class issue between the working class and the upper class; they want to destroy the welfare system which would have a major impact on the working class. Only the rich will be able to afford to have an education hence stopping social mobility for the working class.

Another speaker spoke about the Labour movement which was started by the working class and the Unionist and that we were here to win the battle and one of the way to do that was to attend the march on the 26th March 2011 and that we should encourage all members to attend.

One speaker spoke about the Con – Dem stating that ‘we are all in it together’ speaker stated ‘ like hell we are, do they face the prospect of losing their jobs, their home, education, not being able to pay their bills, speaker said we were ‘Definitely NOT in it together’.

Another speaker said that we are the back bone of the country and the hope for our children, an injury to one is an injury to all, speaker urged every Black person to pick up the gauntlet and defend what we have fought for so long, the welfare system and the public services. Speaker highlighted the changes Con –Dem were making to the country and then on top of the Black people have to face bullying and harassment in work place. One speaker agreed the ‘we were in it together’ she said ‘yes, in a slave ship, we are down below and they are on the top deck’.

Another speaker impressed conference by her version of the Psalm about David Cameron:

David Cameron is the shepherd I did not want

He leadeth me beside high taxes

He restored my faith in Labour

He guideth me in pathway of unemployment for his party sake

Yea though I shall bare more hunger for no food is with me

He anointed my income with taxes and my expense running over

Surely poverty and hard life will follow mw all the days of my life

And if my mother was alive

I shall live in my parent’s house for ever.

Women Caucus

This discussed the motions going to the National women’s Conference as well as the Black issues the National Women Committee are working on. Issues about unseen disability effecting Black Women was also discussed.

Disable Members Caucus

This was very well attended issues discussed were, non apparent disability, Sickness Policy and Disability leave needs to be negotiated with management. Another issues highlighted was in relation to disability and the hotels, some delegate said that if you can discuss with manager how they can meet your disability needs during your stay as some delegates had problems in their hotels.

Labour Link Caucus

Discussed motions to the National Labour Link Forum, Composite B agreed to go.

Delegates were encouraged to stand for public appointments, to stand for elections as Councillors and to join the Labour Party and the BAME

Local Government Service Group Meeting

Issues discussed were: cuts in LG, 2000 jobs cut in Manchester, cross services working, shared services, joint working with NHS, work with.

Some delegates concerned that this Government have no legal mandate to make such drastic cuts to the welfare system therefore we should be challenging them.

Unison has had legal advice in relation to the above but the barrister has said that Unison does not have a case.

There were several Fringe meetings, Challenging Racism at Work; Encouraging Black Activists to be Active; Black Organ Donors; Fit to Work. I attended the Fringe meeting on:

Encouraging Black Activists to be Active

The speaker was Simon Woolley, Director of Operation Black Vote. Simon talked about Martin Luther King and that he became pastor of a Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, and how King first achieved national renown when he helped mobilise the black boycott of the Montgomery bus system in 1955. This was organised after Rosa Parks, a black woman, refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man - in the segregated south, black people could only sit at the back of the bus. The 382-day boycott led the bus company to change its regulations, and the Supreme Court declared such segregation unconstitutional. Simon than went on to tell us about Black footballers in Pizza Hut race row: They're told to pay up front - but whites are not in Bournemouth. Simon became involved in the case and put on the web page that Pizza Hut should be boycotted; very soon Simon received a call from the top man requesting a meeting!

Simon went on to say that we need to mobilize our people if we went to change things, ‘we must become the change’
There was also Workshops/Panel Debate: Organising Black Workers to Defend Public Service; Reach Project for Young People; Black Mental Health; Black Carers – How Black Members can Access the Caring System. I attended the workshop on:

Organising Black Workers to Defend Public Service

This work shop was led by Roger McKenzie, Assistant General Sectary, Gloria Mills, National Sectary Equalities and Delroy Creary National Black Members Committee. Main issues covered here were the importance of organising the workforce and the public, Unison had taken the lead in minimum wages and pension. Current government want to erode our social protection like some other countries where there is n o protections. As Black people we should be proud of what we have achieved and adopt this strategy to achieve what we want now, we should work together. Roger stressed that Black people need to be on the streets on the 26th March 2011 so that our young people can see us standing up for them.

Guest Speakers

  1. Dave Prentis, General Sectary, covered the following issues:
  1. Our welfare system at attack like never before, these cuts are not necessary there is an alternative
  2. Privatisation of the NHS, Schools and Colleges.
  3. Still no cap on banker’s bonuses!!
  4. Our success in defeating the BNP, but we must not be compliance, we need to keep on fighting; there is n o place in our community or our union for any racist. Re launching of the tool kit for Race Discrimination. Challenging Racism will be the heart of all Unison work.
  5. Congratulation given to Eleanor Smith who will be the first Black women to be the Unison President after the NDC in June 2011. Roger McKenzie, Assistant General Sectary was also congratulated as the first Black person to hold such a high position in Unison
  1. Roger McKenzie highlighted following points:
  1. How he became involved in the Labour movement
  2. Need to work collectively to bring about change, to be organised. Black workers have throughout the ages have always stood up and fought, we are now faced with our greatest challenge, we need to go but to our routes and remember the people before us and how they organised in the work place and the community.
  3. Importance of the march on 26th March 2011, Roger stated that our dreams are still to be fulfilled, we need to stand up and fight, if not now then when!!
  1. Diane Abbott, MP Shadow Minister of Public Health
  1. Mother was a public sector worker, nurse in the NHS – people of colour suffered 40 years ago and are still suffering, Diane’s mum all her life faced systemic injustice, and white nurses who were less qualified or newly qualified were promoted but never her mother.
  2. Labour had invested in Public Sector, Tory’s desire is to slash the public sector and the NHS – these cuts are ideology cuts as they are not necessary, there is an alternative
  3. If Tory wanted growth than they would be investing in the education.
  4. Black representation, there is at times lack of solidarity among us, we are too busy fighting each others, this is the oldest game in the book, divide and rule. We need to become united there is more that unites us than that divide us.
  1. Angela Lynes Unison President spoke about varies issues:
  1. May 2010 election – Unison will be an obstruction to the Con –Dem government in their desire to break the Welfare system.
  2. Unemployment – 50% young Black people are unemployed and things are going to get worse.
  3. Education – the tuition fees will be another barrier to people having access to education – education is the only chance to move out of poverty.
  4. Angela’s project on “make a child smile”, every Unison President gets to work on a project of their choice during their term. This project highlighted the importance of family life and the impact of poverty.
  5. Benefit – effect of the cuts on low paid family
  6. March on the 26th March 2011 – Angela encouraged everyone to attend and show the Con – Dem that we are ready for a fight.

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Main issues highlighted during the conference were job cuts and how this will impact on Black people; Equality Impact Assessment; Class and Social Mobility and the march on 26th March.

If anyone wants more information on the Conference or the Motions than please do not hesitate to contact me on or 07800582883

Neelo Farr

Equality Officer and the Black Member Officer