Images: Marcus Rose<\/h6>\n
Debate continued Wednesday morning at national delegate conference with a group of motions concerning Black members.<\/p>\n
The motions came on the same morning as the High Court ruling that the government\u2019s decision to scrap key recommendations from the independent review into the Windrush scandal was unlawful.<\/a><\/p>\n The first motion, supporting Black members experiencing racism, focused on training and education as an effective way to combat racism.<\/p>\n Moving the motion, Annette Heslop of the national Black members\u2019 committee said: \u201cRacism is real, we need to stop it and stamp it out.\u201d<\/p>\n The motion called on the NEC to work with UNISON College and learning and organising services to create specific training resources on the issue and promote them to stewards and branch officers.<\/p>\n Gloria Hansen (pictured above) said: \u201cThe Year of Black Workers was an extraordinary campaign celebrating UNISON\u2019s proud history \u2013 and we owe it to the efforts of members across unison\u201d to continue the struggle.<\/p>\n Sue Silva spoke about acknowledging \u201cthe slow pace of change and the exclusion of Black workers from discussions\u201d on the issue.<\/p>\n Adding: \u201cUNISON has made progress but further development is necessary enhanced training for branch officers will help them support members effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n Chris Akaluka (above) from Newham Healthcare followed saying: \u201cRacism is a disease that thrives on ignorance, the only thing that can cure this disease is knowledge.<\/p>\n \u201cA union like ours, 1.3m strong, if we all pledge to be allies and fight racism in our workplaces our homes and our streets.\u201d<\/p>\n He asked conference to commit, with him, to pointing out racism in all different aspects of their lives. \u201cWe shall point it out,\u201d conference repeated.<\/p>\n After the motion exploring the experience of racism, debate turned to the UNION\u2019s work embedding the legacy of the Year of the Black Worker in 2023.<\/p>\n Joseph Ogundemuren of the Black members\u2019 committee (pictured top), speaking for the motion asked conference to \u201csustain momentum and cement the legacy of the year,\u201d saying, \u201cour activism must resonate beyond our union.\u201d<\/p>\n Manjula Kumari of the NEC said to achieve the aims of the motion the union: \u201cmust start where all good unions start \u2013 training and development. So, throughout the year we facilitated workshops, development programmes and mentorship training.\u201d<\/p>\n She told delegates: \u201cWe still have a long way to go,\u201d and urged delegates to go back to their employers and start the conversation with employer to sign up to UNISON\u2019s anti-racism charter.<\/a><\/p>\n She finished: \u201cConference, remember the 190,00 Black members that UNISON has. Work with us, be our allies and continue to increase our numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n The motion gave a five-point action plan to evaluate the year\u2019s successes, develop an ongoing programme of training and campaigning and report back to NDC in 2025.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.unison.org.uk\/content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC3155-scaled-e1718808512169-1024x577.jpg\")
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