Report - Fire Brigades Union

SECTION C — TUC AND LABOUR MOVEMENT
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lobbying government to ensure that improved services are
available to all LGBT people, in all areas of the UK; and
encourage affiliates, branches and members to get
involved with Broken Rainbow and like minded
organisations to raise awareness of this problem.
C10 TUC black workers’
conference 2010
The 17th TUC black workers’ conference took place in Liverpool
on April 23-25 with the theme “Solidarity is our strength”.
FBU delegates in attendance:
Michael Nicholas
Samantha Samuels
Andrew Fernandes
Ludwig Ramsey
Dalton Powell
David Pazir
Colin Jarrett.
Day one
Day one got under way with an opening speech from the chair
Collette Cork-Hurst on the difficulties that lay ahead and the
continued and sustained attack on our communities that would
intensify if the Conservatives won the forthcoming general
election. The theme that ran through the conference was
“Solidarity is our strength”.
There were a number of guest speakers throughout the day.
Frances O’Grady (TUC deputy general secretary) spoke on the
issues that affect BME people and trade unions:
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half of black youth are without work;
how the recession was started by bankers in Wall Street
and London and not by us;
how black people are eight times more likely to be stopped
and searched, three times more likely to be arrested, twice
more likely to be unemployed or passed over for
promotion;
how courts are intervening and stopping legitimate strike
action on a technicality.
Anita Cole (policy officer, Liberty) spoke on the valuable work
that has been done and continues to be done in highlighting
the issues that affect our communities, specifically:
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DNA testing – Britain has the largest database in the world
with five million people on it, most of whom are innocent;
ID cards;
Stop and search – Section 46, introduced after the
7/7 terrorist attack on mainland Britain, is used on
threats of terrorism. BME people are five times more likely
to be stopped.
Dougie Rooney (president of the TUC) spoke of the continued
discrimination in the workplace and how we should do more to
challenge and rectify discriminatory practices.
Motions carried:
Black workers and public sector spending;
Race equality non-compliance in the public sector;
Race equality in the public sector;
Discrimination in recruitment;
Supporting black workers’ career progression.
Day two
The guest speaker was Dr Robert Berkeley (director of the
Runnymede Trust) who opened the second day of the
conference. He spoke about the International Slavery Museum
in Liverpool and suggested that delegates should visit it to gain
an understanding of why black people continue to struggle for
recognition. Dr Berkeley also reflected on where we were on
the election campaign trail and how cuts in the public sector
would affect BME and cause unemployment. Also, we must
ensure that the race equality agenda stays at the heart of all
debates. He said that 10 race councils were being disbanded
with nothing to replace them. Dr Berkeley also spoke on a
single equality act and how it would come under scrutiny after
the next election.
Motions carried:
The impact of education funding cuts on black workers;
Beating the Tories – free school meals;
When I am older I want to be… unlocking the potential;
Mental health debate;
Digital Britain and BME representation in the media;
Equality Bill;
Chinese and East Asian portrayal;
Broadcasting regulator’s policy on diversity.
Two emergency resolutions:
BBC’s proposed closure of Asian Network;
Haiti (moved by Samantha Samuels, FBU).
In the afternoon conference adjourned for 90 minutes so
delegates could attend a variety of fringe meeting on various
issues:
Stop the cuts at BBC Asian Network;
The Labour Party and the BME vote; and
Haiti: bled to death before the quake.
Day three
Motions carried:
Membership of political parties;
The far right – a destructive presence;
The national database;
Stop and search;
Under-representation of black people in trade unions;
Positive image, positive futures.
FBU delegates spoke on a number of motions during the
course of the conference.
The FBU emergency motion on Haiti was adopted by the
conference to be the black workers’ motion to September’s
FBU Annual Report 2011 87