Motion agreed Oct 2021 submitted June 2021
This Trades council notes:
The global movement around Black Lives Matter (BLM), sparked by the brutal murder of George Floyd, revealed the depth of anger against racism without any justice for George (or too many others whose lives had been murdered in the US and UK). Across the UK, protests saw thousands of mainly working-class young people, coming onto the streets to demand justice for black people brutally murdered by the police, highlighting wider opposition to racism. Already this year, two people from the Black & Asian community in Wales have died in police custody. There is an increased expectation for change and trade unions can be more central to this taking place.
The BLM protests took place at the same time as the Covid pandemic revealed the deep racial and social inequalities faced by workers, showing a disproportionate impact in terms of deaths but also increased risks faced due to the roles Black and Asian workers are overrepresented in, from front line security through to health and insecure service sectors. Another study found that black workers with the same qualifications as other workers are more likely to be employed at lower rates of pay. BME unemployment is rising twice as fast as white workers during pandemic Black people are also over-represented in homelessness figures , and within less secure and safe housing. Grenfell is a horrific expression of systematic racism with unsafe materials use, the lack of justice, or timely support remedies.
Powerful movements of the past led to legal improvements, such as the Race Relations Act of 1968 in Britain aimed to stop wage inequality, and other racist discrimination. However, racism exists as one of the worst ways a system driven by profit exploits and divides working people. It exposes the limitations of legislation and system reform without workers involvement and oversight of these systems.
With more cuts being likely to be proposed, we will be asked to pay, again, for the systems inability to respond to a health crisis, causing avoidable, unequal and sustained physical and mental health distress. We want to acknowledge the disproportionate impact. There is money available, as the richest have increased their wealth by £400bn, enough for vaccines for the world.
To act in solidarity against racism is central to trade unionism, as ‘an injury to one is an injury to all’. It is also, often the case, that whatever happens to one group, is repeated more widely. Fighting racism is both intrinsic for equality and the solution against the age old tactic to divide and rule to reduce our ability to organise together.
We demand an end to the inequalities with:
♦ End the race pay gap – An integrated campaign for an equal rate of pay for the job, a minimum of £15ph with annual pay rises linked to inflation with secure employment and equal rights for temporary or part-time workers and contract workers.
♦Fair and transparent reporting systems, free from retaliation. Any type of racial abuse, verbal or physical, needs to be reported and acted on by management, and potentially, police immediately providing clear steps towards addressing the issues, taking action and change. All incidents must be recorded, and the log of incidents reviewed by elected shop stewards and the trade unions or staff councils in non recognised workplaces. Regular public data must also be made available showing the number of staff experiencing grievances or facing disciplinary by ethnicity with works and management agreed action plans across an organisation to monitor and measure change.
♦ Fair recruitment and progression – Trade union oversight over the recruitment and promotion process
♦ Decolonise the curriculum – Parent, teacher and student democratic control of the curriculum. Work with teaching unions to teach history and gains in the curriculum of working-class struggle, black history and trade unions’ record and achievements in fighting racism.
♦ End police brutality – Demilitarisation of the police – stop the use of horses, tear gas and rubber bullets. Abolish the Territorial Support Group (TSG) and all similar paramilitary units. Justice for those who have been killed in police or prisons and those whose racist murders and attacks have not been properly investigated.
♦Reverse all privatisation – Scrap the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and cancel all PFI debts. For a fully funded and resourced National Health Service and integrated care system, free at the point of use.
♦ Decent safe and affordable housing for all – Cap private rents not benefits. For a mass programme of building council houses. Support the campaigns to remove unsafe cladding now – community, trade union-led inquiry and action for safety and justice for Grenfell.
We agree to:
- Share this motion with branches, affiliates, cllrs/MPS and the region for discussion and action for the year ahead.
- Share support for campaigns that are linked to the demands above
- Regularly schedule in speakers and discussion to share how trade union led anti-racism is developing or has taken action. Share lessons learnt. Use a range of methods to engage members into the discussion from filmclubs, meeting, protests alongside resources which identify clear demands and actions posed, as steps forward, together.
This motion was agreed at Southwark Trades Council as well as the founding statement for The liberation movement.
We also agreed to promote and share this effective anti-eviction campaign film from Lewisham Trades Council (5mins)
The trades councils also agreed to support, promote and donate to Royal park strikers – (PCS & UVW) as well as UAL strikers (joint action by Unison and GMB)
Southwark Trade Union Council 