IT’S THE YEAR OF BLACK WORKERS
2023-Year-of-Black-Workers-Toolkit
Black members in UNISON work to improve equality in the workplace and challenge racism and discrimination.
They have many of the same concerns as other members regarding access to employment, pay, promotion and training. However, racist discrimination can deepen the impact of problems faced in the workplace.
UNISON’s Black members’ group (known as a self-organised group) campaigns for equality in the workplace and the wider community.
Joining UNISON helps you play an active and important role in every aspect of achieving equality in your workplace.
Black members’ role in UNISON
In dealing with discrimination, we support workers not just in formal procedures but by developing effective responses to deeply rooted patterns of discrimination.
Many Black members take an active role in both assessment and promotion of equality in the workplace.
Challenging racism in the workplace is crucial to UNISON’s work because no workplace where racism is allowed to flourish can ever be effectively organised.
Get involved
Equality legislation provides trade unions with the means to hold employers to account, but the principles of equality can only become a reality in our workplaces if we organise around them and place them on the bargaining agenda with employers.
There is a whole spectrum of activity that members can be involved in from becoming a workplace contact to sitting on one of UNISON’s national committees.
Being a member of UNISON is the first step, but all members can get involved in working for a fair workplace.
How Black members are organised
UNISON is committed to increasing its representation and participation of Black people within the union.
It is important that there is a visible and vocal presence of the Black members’ experience. Black members’ self-organised groups (SOGs) work in partnership with other parts of the union to identify and promote our race equality agenda.
Black History Month (Oct)
For UNISON, Black History Month is a time to acknowledge and celebrate achievements of Black people throughout history.
Black History (and Black British History in particular) is often marginalised. So Black History Month is a key time to acknowledge achievements and provide an opportunity to discuss wider issues affecting the Black community.
Keep an eye on this page for details of stalls and events that we will be holding to celebrate Black History, as well as how you can get involved.
UNISON National Black Members’ News
Nominations now open for the 2024 Nelson Mandela Award.
Nelson Mandela was an honorary member of UNISON. In his lifetime, he received over 260 awards including the Nobel Peace Prize.
To honour his achievements, the National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) present the Nelson Mandela Award each year to a Black member who has gone above and beyond.
If you know someone who goes the extra mile to support members, who is passionate about racial equality and who champions fairer workplaces, please nominate them now using the form below.
The deadline for submission is 5pm, Friday 1 September.
The award will be presented at the National Black Members’ Conference, 19th – 21st January 2024.
Interested in becoming more active?
If you are interested in becoming more active in your Branch, or would like to know more about the Black Members’ Self-Organised Group, please contact Dionne Royston, Branch Secretary, by calling 0116 305 6153 or by e-mailing unison@leics.gov.uk
