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A SONG FOR STEPHEN

NEVILLE LAWRENCE THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2014 THE VOICE | 15

BRITAIN’S TRADE UNIONS PAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE CAMPAIGNING YEARS THE VOICE NEWSPAPER LAUNCHES NATION WIDE SONGWRITING COMPETITION:

A SONG FOR STEPHEN

Neville Lawrence

The Road To Justice INSIDE: NEVILLE LAWRENCE l FRANCES O’ GRADY l TRADE UNION CAMPAIGNS l INTERNATIONAL

16 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2014

NEVILLE LAWRENCE THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

TRADE UNION CONGRESS TRIBUTE EDITION

A SONG FOR STEPHEN

NEVILLE LAWRENCE THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

Mohammad Tajthe TUC President who faced down racism in the workplace…

‘Unions need to

TUC Race Equality Officer, Wilf Sullivan interviews the well loved working class man from Yorkshire

increase visibility in anti-racism campaigns’

A

ddressing hundreds of delegates attending the annual spring TUC black workers’ conference at Congress House, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady, delivered an uncompromising speech on the current state of race and equalities in the country.

Britain’s first female leader of the Trade Union Congress, comments on the current set of challenges facing black and ethnic minority workers.

Politicians on the right are driving a debate about immigration that is becoming increasingly toxic. As a result we have an Immigration Bill that ranks as one of the most reactionary, regressive pieces of legislation in recent British history.

More worryingly a climate of fear is slowly poisoning our national life. People are indeed worried, but not about immigrants themselves. Their biggest concern is the bosses who use cheap migrant labour to undercut people’s pay and pensions. This is what politicians should be doing something about and the TUC will continue to work with unions to

counter the myths, half truths and downright lies about immigration that are sure to fly around in the run-up to next year’s general election.

We’ll also be campaigning hard for politicians to start treating the issue of race equality with the seriousness it deserves. In the four years since the government came to power, the fight against racism – in our communities and the labour market – seems to have fallen off the radar.

AUSTERITY In many respects, ministers are making the problems worse.

A year on from the introduction of fees for employment tribunals, the number of race discrimination claims fell by a shocking 57 per cent.

As we step up our struggle for economic and social justice for people of every race and colour, we must give black people a sense of hope about the future. There is an alternative to austerity, privatisation and attacks on workplace rights.

Casualisation, agency working, and zero-hours contracts have all left a particularly brutal imprint on ethnic minority workers. Back in 1993, black workers were paid around 18 per cent less than their white colleagues. But by 2008, that gap had grown to a scandalous

L

43 per cent. The case for action – stronger employment rights, tougher anti-discrimination measures and proper regulation of our labour market – is overwhelming.

MOVEMENT Something must be done to tackle the alarming levels of youth unemployment in ethnic minority communities.

Ministers may boast that record numbers of people are in work, but that will come as little comfort to a black teenager desperate to get a job.

Black workers are twice as likely to be unemployed, and the youth unemployment rate for black youngsters is almost double that for white young people. We can make a start by making drastic improvements to our apprenticeships system, so more black young people are able to take up decent career opportunities.

But unions need to get their act together too. We must do more to recruit, organise and energise black workers. The union movement is a long way from being reflective of the diverse make-up of modern Britain. We need to increase our visibility in anti-racism campaigns, and lead the way in fighting racism, prejudice and discrimination wherever and whenever they rear their ugly heads.

Photo credit: Rod Leon

Comment by Frances O’Grady, TUC General Secretary

SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2014 THE VOICE | 17

STRENGTH IN UNITY: TUC General Secretary, Frances O’ Grady, Neville Lawrence and TUC President Mohammad Taj

Neville Lawrence’s message to TUC congress Neville Lawrence OBE, Interview by Jacqueline Asafu-Adjaye, Sponsored Features Editor

“

Had I been at congress this year, I would say what I always say - ‘together we stand, divided we fall’.

I would have also thanked all of the different unions who have unceasingly given my family support over the years,

from the start of the campaign, to when I co founded the Stephen Lawrence Charitable trust, and right up to now, with the Song4Stephen songwriting competition, which will raise money for Black Police Association (BPA) Voyage, a charity of which I am Patron, and it is very close to my heart, along with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust.

I thank Frances O’ Grady for her strong no nonsense leader-

ship, and for making no bones about putting anti racism back onto the top of the political agenda.

I am disappointed at those who have turned their backs on the Trade Union movement.

My message to The Voice readers is that we should continue to join the unions, so that we can effectively join in the campaign for better working conditions and living wages for working class people and black

people - without the strong backing of the unions, it is difficult for workers to fight for race equality and a fair wage packet.

Employers today have too much power due to the new employment tribunal rules.

They can get rid of people when they feel like it. Without argument the trade unions paid a pivotal role in our fight for justice for Stephen and I say that black people need the backing

of the unions more than my family and I needed them at the beginning, when we started the campaign for my son.

Without the backing of members of the TUC and others from all walks of life we would not have got as far as we did with getting justice for Stephen.

So thank you and draw strength and continued inspiration from the history of the civil and human rights movement.

”

ast September Mohammad Taj became the first Asian president of the TUC. Outlining what he hoped to achieve as the president, he said: “In my 12 months as President I would like to help lower the barriers to racism.

I believe that one of the best ways to break down racial barriers is in the work place.”

Taj came to the UK in 1966 and at the age of 21, Mr Taj worked as a bus driver before being introduced to union work by lifelong friend and conductor Richard Jowett. He studied at the Trade Union Centre at Bradford College and later went on to teach the courses, crediting Head of Trade Union Studies, Steve Davison and Bradford College Lecturer Bill Morgan-Cooper for encouraging him during his early involvement. With his skills, he got involved with the Transport and General Workers’ Union, where he began to investigate complaints that workers of Asian backgrounds had to pay bribes to corrupt union officials and managers before they could gain employment on the buses. He received many death threats, but continued to work to fight for justice.

EQUALITY

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In 1982, Mr Taj was elected as a T&G’s shop steward and ten years later, he became a worker director for the whole of West Yorkshire. Mr Taj was later elected chairman of the T&G’s national race equality committee, and is a long serving member of the Executive Council of the union.

As his year as president comes to an end we caught up

with Taj and asked him to reflect on the trade union movement, the major issues that face us and life in general.

Taj explained that his trade unionism had been motivated by his father’s words of encouragement. MSpeaking about Black Workers and Trade Unions Taj explained that a survey carried out by Labour Research in 2012 showed that while unions have made a lot of progress in encouraging BME participation, in recent years they have “become stuck”, although a number of smaller unions are currently improving their equality structures.

HARASSMENT He said “it’s very important that in these hard times, unions don’t forget about this.

With everything else that is going on, there is a danger that equality issues slip down the agenda. There is a need for trade unions to look at different ways of encouraging people to get involved and widen the opportunities for black activists. They must identify people, train them and provide opportunities for them to participate. Much more needs to be done to challenge institutional racism in the workplace. This is not just a matter of representing people who suffer from racist bullying or harassment but from the systematic way that institutions discriminate against Black workers. We need to have be ambitious enough to strive to protect members from being discriminated in the workplace in the first place not just represent them after they have suffered discrimination.

Taj felt that the major issue

facing black Communities was the consequences of economic austerity. He explained as our economy continues to be ravaged by the consequences of the gravest global financial crisis any of us have ever seen and we have a government locked into policies many of us believe are making things worse not better.

TOGETHER “We have a society that ranks among the most unequal anywhere in the developed world where super-rich elite have been allowed to float free from the rest of us. Where a generation of young people is growing up without work, without prospects and without hope none harder hit than the black youngsters held back by an unemployment rate approaching 50 per cent. This is not just austerity it is austerity on speed. These are the deepest cuts in the UK since the 1920s. And cuts that, for those of you who remember, would make even Margaret Thatcher look like a spendthrift.” “ We were told ‘we are all in this together’ but we know that they’re in it together. The cuts have hit workers in all sectors, and hardly been noticed by those who did so well out of the banking bubble. The less you had to do with causing the financial crash the bigger the price you are having to pay.” “ Racism raises its ugly head whenever poverty strikes and during this economic recession we see a race between the government and the far right parties and organisations to see who achieves the highest score at attacking the black and Asian communities. “

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NEVILLE LAWRENCE THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

TRADE UNION CONGRESS TRIBUTE EDITION

A SONG FOR STEPHEN

NEVILLE LAWRENCE THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2014 THE VOICE | 19

COMMENT BY ROGER MCKENZIE, GUEST SUPPLEMENT EDITOR

WELCOME

to the latest trade union supplement, this forms part one of our two - part supplement tribute to Neville Lawrence OBE. The second part of this supplement will be published during Black History Month. The articles contained within these supplements, show the richness of the fight for social justice that is being led by black workers within the trade union movement.

At a time when black communities are under attack once more – which the gunning down of young Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in the United States has provided a sharp focus – black trade unionists are redoubling our efforts to make sure that trade unions tackle racism we face in the workplace and that which we experience in wider society.

The fight for social justice being waged by black trade unionists in this country is deeply within the black radical tradition of W.E.B. DuBois, and A. Philip Randolph, which draws on the historical legacy of colonialism that is particular to the UK. The UK experience draws on the US experience but is distinct and is as rich and progressive as anything anywhere.

This supplement tries to reflect the way that the black radical tradition is being built on by giving examples of game changers from both sides of the Atlantic.

Individuals who whilst having made a distinct contribution continue to organise within a collective framework as this always, within the black experience, proved to be how we have made out greatest gains. The trade union movement has been key to this which is why this trade union supplement is so timely and so important.

In memory of Martin Luther King – It’s time to build an International Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Writes Roger Mckenzie, Assistant General Secretary, UNISON

I

n September of 1972 more than 1200 black union officials and activists, representing thirty-seven different unions, came together in the City of Chicago in the USA. They spent two days discussing the role of black trade unionists in the labour movement. Five black trade union leaders, alarmed that the AFL-CIO, the US equivalent of the British TUC, had taken a “neutral” position in that years presidential election between the incumbent Richard Nixon and the challenger from the Democrats George McGovern, called the founding conference of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU). They believed that the voice of black workers had been ignored and that neutrality would contribute to the re-election of Nixon.

The founding conference was, at that point, the largest single gathering of black trade unionists in the history of the American trade union movement. Whilst the impetus for the Chicago conference was the presidential election campaign, the most significant develop-

ment was the establishment of a permanent organization, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. The delegates made it clear that black workers were ready to share in the power of the labour movement at every level. CBTU would be a progressive forum for black workers to bring their specific issues to the trade union movement and to act as a bridge between unions and the black community.

The most electrifying moment of the Chicago conference came when Nelson “Jack” Edwards’ introduced Bill Lucy, the tall, young, charismatic international secretary treasurer of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), who was, at that time, the highest ranking black elected trade union leader in the world. Lucy expressed CBTU’s fundamental characteristics is its independence in his remarks:

“We don’t want to be a thorn in anybody’s side, but we don’t want to be a pivot for anybody’s heel”

“At the present time, we occupy a very important and critical position in the politics of this nation, both in terms of the trade union movement as well as the political parties of this country.

INFLUENCE We are in nobody’s pocket, do not intend to get in anybody’s pocket, and we are going to assume a position of full partners. You see, we don’t want anybody to be making decisions for us any longer, because we are quite capable of making decisions ourselves.

We don’t want to be a thorn in anybody’s side, but we don’t want to be a pivot for anybody’s heel.”

Since its founding, CBTU, under the presidency of Bill Lucy until only a few short years ago, has enhanced the influence and power of black workers in the trade union movement and in their communities. CBTU has led efforts to open up more union leadership positions to black workers. In the AFL-CIO elections for new leadership in 1995, CBTU challenged the federation “to reorganize itself to reach out to those who need it most”. Subsequently, the AFL-

CIO enlarged its Executive Council. African Americans, women, Asian Pacific Islanders and Hispanic leaders now hold a large number of seats on the Executive Council and a number of large unions, such as AFSCME are led by black trade unionists with many others, such as the large Service Employees International Union (SEIU) having a number in senior positions.

Multinational companies recognise no borders – it’s time that black workers did the same through our organising.

Speaking at the 43rd Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, Roger McKenzie, the assistant general secretary of public service union UNISON, himself one of the senior black trade unionists in the UK, challenged the 800 plus delegates to embrace the need for cross-border organising of black workers. It was time to build on the CBTU chapters that existed in the

USA and Canada to include the fledgling CBTU organization in the UK. Mckenzie, the Chair of the UK group, said: “multinational companies recognise no borders – its time that black workers did the same through our organising. Its time to build the International Coalition of Black Trade Unionists”. ¢ If you are interested in helping to build the CBTU in your area contact: ukcbtu@gmail.com or Roger McKenzie at r.mckenzie@ unison.co.uk for more details.

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Billy Hayes General Secretary www.billyhayes.co.uk Beryl Shepherd President

20 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2014

Clayola Brown –Taking the legacy forward

When any genuine history of black worker organising is written, particularly in the United States, the name of the legendary Asa Philip Randolph must take pride of place. Randolph was the man, a socialist, who was called upon to organise the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925. Little known is that Randolph had threatened an earlier March on Washington than the famous 1963 version which forced President Franklin D Roosevelt to issue an order to ban discrimination in the defence industries during World War II. He was also fundamental is forcing President Harry Truman to end segregation in the armed services.

Randolph was, however, the head of the 1963 March on Washington which was organised by the legendary activist Bayard Rustin.

He was an inspiration to generations of black and white trade unionists and is widely seen as being one of the pioneers of the US Civil Rights Movement. The A Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) was formed by Rustin in 1965 with a mission to fight for racial equality, social and economic justice.

Working with communities of colour, the APRI seeks to serve as a clearinghouse for information and provides training and education for the black community.

Clayola Brown began serving as president of the APRI in 2004. She is the first woman to serve in that role.

Clayola is also the first VicePresident of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and an International Vice President of Workers United.

REPOSITIONED A lifelong commitment to activism began in Clayola’s hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, where she alongside her activist mother – campaigned to organise the Manhattan Shirt Factory. She eventually became Education Director for the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union; was appointed Civil Rights Director and Manager of the Laundry Division affiliate for more than 13 years.

In 1991, under UNITE! She was elected as International Vice President and continues to serve in that capacity

NEVILLE LAWRENCE THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

and as Civil Rights Director under the repositioned union Workers United. In 1995 Clayola was elected to the AFL-CIO (the TUC equivalent in the US) Executive Council, where she served for 10 years as a Vice President. She is, put simply, one of the leading trade unionists, black or white, in the US. Clayola Brown makes an immense and almost unique contribution to racial equality and social justice. She serves on the board of America’s Agenda: Healthcare for All, the national board of the oldest civil rights organization in the States the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Clayola is also a member of the United Nations Advisory Council, the executive committee of the Workers Defense League and the Board of Directors of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to name but a few.

INSPIRING Heavily rooted in her trade unionism, Clayola and is one of the foremost advocates of healthcare for all in the US – one of the hottest political topics around.

What makes her the ideal person to lead one of the most important trade union based bodies in the US is not just her inspiring nature and deep wealth of experience its her undoubted commitment to social justice trade unionism. A trade unionism designed to make a real difference to the lives of black workers. Clayola continues to bear the torch that was lit and first carried by the legend A Philip Randolph and the ace organizer Bayard Rustin. There can be few greater compliments than to be not just a holder of the torch but someone who is taking it forward with such style and distinction as Clayola clearly does.

Clayola is another expression of the exciting rise of black women in the trade union movement committed to social justice organising. There is a clear pattern emerging of black women leading the trade union movement down the road of progressive social justice trade unionism committed to building strong grassroots activism. Clayola Brown stands as a vital face of a new emerging trade unionism and is a clear voice for progressive trade unionists everywhere.

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Dr. Toni Lewis progresses debate over the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is one of North Americas largest and fastest growing unions and stands at 2.1 million members. These are undoubtedly two of the reasons why they invariably are the targets for anti union vitriol by the enemies of the trade union movement who seem so well represented in the US. The SEIU are often portrayed as brash but few will disagree that they are both innovative and uncompromising in their pursuit of social justice.

The SEIU is a very diverse union with a very diverse leadership. Of the 7 main leaders of the union 2, Gerry Hudson and Valarie Long are African American, 4 are women and the president, the inspirational Mary Kay Henry, is an out lesbian.

The largest Division of the union is healthcare with more than 1.1 million members.

The Chair of the Division in the union that finds itself at the centre of political debate in the US over the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) is a passionate and inspiring black woman named Luella Toni Lewis.

JUSTICE Toni (as she is known) has spent her life committed to social justice. From a very early age, she was taught by two generations of union leaders in her family that service was the highest form of leadership and that everyone deserves justice, dignity and respect at work and outside.

With their support, she pursued a career in social justice through medicine and earned

her Batchelor’s Degree in sociology and a Medical Doctorate from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. In 2004, Toni, now Dr. Lewis, became a family resident and a member of the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU) – the largest physician’s union in the SEIU. Eventually, Toni rose to become national president of CIR/SEIU between 2007-2010.

Following that she became Chair of SEIU Healthcare and sits on the board of the SEIU as an international Vice President.

Rare enough, from a UK perspective, to have a fully qualified and practicing medical doctor active in one of the major trade unions in their country but what is even more unique is to have someone like Toni who has such a passionate commitment to social justice trade unionism.

This is far from being some sort of theoretical commitment or just someone who is just following a family tradition, Toni has a clearly articulated view of the link between the work she does as a medical doctor and her wider work both as a trade unionist and a campaigner for civil and human rights.

Toni is representative of the growing band of black women making the case for trade unionism and social justice. It’s hard to see this trend going in any other direction other than onwards. This has profound implications for not just the way that the trade unionism of the future looks but, most importantly, what it will actually do to build power for women and men at work and in their communities. Toni Lewis will play a major role in this work for years to come.

That’s great for trade unionists not just in the US but for workers everywhere.

3Black women blazing the trade Union Words: Roger Mckenzie

TRADE UNION CONGRESS TRIBUTE EDITION Marie Clarke Walker – The Shape of Things to Come Like a scene from Shakespeare’s Richard II, Marie Clarke Walker, a leading black trade union leader from Canada, once exiled, returned to vanquish her tormentor. Do people really get exiled within the trade union movement?

Before explaining what happened to prompt such an introduction, a little about this inspiring activist and trade union leader Marie Clarke Walker.

Marie was raised in an activist household in Toronto.

She was dragged to demonstrations and protests, particularly against racism, from an early age so progressive activism was a natural way of life.

Significantly, this early activism schooled Marie to understand that there were no real barriers between community and trade union campaigns.

She spent some time in revolutionary Grenada working with the Ministry of Education. All of this experience contributed towards establishing Marie as a fearless champion of what is now known as social justice trade unionism.

Rising through the ranks of her union the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Marie eventually became CUPE Ontario’s Equity Vice-President and her union’s first ever national Diversity Vice-President. She was part of the TUC equivalent the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), delegation to the 2001 United Nations World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa and played a leading role in helping to shape contribution of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (now re-established as the International Trade Union Confederation) to the conference.

Marie was first elected as a CLC Executive Vice President in 2002. On election she was both the first black woman to be elected to this major position, one of the most important in the Canadian trade union movement. She was also the youngest person to hold this post in Canadian history.

To say that the elevation of Marie to this lofty position was met with universal welcome would be wishful thinking. As is all too often the case when black leaders move into senior positions in historically white structures or organisations there is an outbreak of jealousy or resentment for, as they often say, “not waiting your turn”.

Marie blew the lid of the problems she had, for a number of years, been seeking to deal with behind closed with an open letter that alleged major difficulties over with the then president of the CLC Ken Georgetti. These difficulties, even after attempted mediation and the intervention of other union leaders, culmi-

nated in Marie being banished to work from home in Toronto rather than from the Ottawa base of the CLC – in spite of it being a requirement to be based in Ottawa.

Things finally came to a head this year at this years CLC Convention when a challenge was mounted against Georgetti by the respected progressive trade unionist Hassan Husseini. Under the banner of ‘Take Back the CLC’ the campaign by Husseini forced the issue of how best to mount the resistance to austerity and the attacks against working people in Canada by the Harper federal Government to the top of the agenda. This essentially insurgent campaign sought a more progressive, grassroots and aggressive approach to the work of the CLC. The campaign brought the existing Secretary Treasurer Hassan Yussuff into contention and as a result two distinct campaigns emerged. Marie, Yussuff and Barb Byers from the existing team lined up against Georgetti and his team. Once Husseini dropped out of the race Marie’s team won the contest clearing the way for her to return into a team where she is, at last now able to make a full contribution. Not just a triumphant return from exile for Marie personally but the heralding of a new era for social justice trade unionism in Canada. The fact that the Canadian trade union movement now has two people of colour at its head cannot go without mention. Its simply a groundbreaking moment.

Without doubt Marie can take her place as one of the leading black women trade unionists in the World. However, there is something more at play here than the personal career trajectory of Marie. It’s the move towards social justice trade unionism that Marie Clarke Walker has so embodied for her whole life that makes her rise so important not just for black women but for trade unionists of any colour or nationality across the World.

Black women are the future of the trade union movement across the World. Marie Clarke Walker is and will continue for many years to be at the head of that transition. She really is the shape of things to come.

A SONG FOR STEPHEN

NEVILLE LAWRENCE THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2014 THE VOICE | 21

THREE KEY PILLARS FOR THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT: SELF ORGANISATION, SOCIAL JUSTICE SOCIAL ACTION

1968

On the night before his assassination in April 1968, Martin Luther King provided moral courage to a group of striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, he said: “We’ve got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end. Nothing would be more tragic than to stop at this point in Memphis. We’ve got to see it through” King believed the struggle in Memphis laid bare the need for economic equality and social justice that he hoped his Poor People’s Campaign would highlight across the USA

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NEVILLE LAWRENCE THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

TRADE UNION CONGRESS TRIBUTE EDITION

‘We must redouble our efforts to secure racial and workplace justice for all’ WRITES DR PATRICK ROACH, NASUWT DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY, AS HE REFLECTS ON THE VITAL LINKS BETWEEN AMERICA AND SOUTH AFRICA’S CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS AND THE CURRENT STRUGGLE FOR FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY IN EDUCATION FOR BME PUPILS AND TEACHERS IN BRITAIN.

T

he NASUWT is the largest teachers’ union in the UK. It is also the largest trade union and professional body representing black and minority ethnic (BME) teachers in the UK. Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT Deputy General Secretary, and member of the World Executive Board of Educational International, explains the vital role played by trade unions as agents for change, from the civil rights movement to the industrial action taken by the NASUWT to secure the working rights of BME teachers today: Fifty years ago, Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech became a defining moment in civil rights history, and triggered a momentum which culminated in major political and societal change in the struggle for equality for black people in America.

Yet, what is little remembered is that the march at which Dr King delivered his electrifying oratory was a joint effort by the civil rights and trade union movements in America, and was an opportunity for millions to stand together united in the fight for both freedom and jobs.

Crushed by decades of oppressive working practices in the wake of the Depression, white workers were united with black America in a struggle for economic security, better working conditions and antidiscrimination. Unions were critical allies of the AfricanAmerican freedom struggle and were also present in great numbers on that historic day in Washington DC. INTEGRITY At the same time, thousands of miles away, a young passionate black man living under the shadow of the Apartheid regime in South Africa was forging what was to be a lifelong link with the trade union movement. His name has been a beacon for those committed to the struggle for equality, justice and democracy: Nelson Mandela.

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distance themselves from the labour movement once in power, Mandela recognised the key role trade unions played in dismantling apartheid. He framed his presidency around a promise to deepen and broaden the culture of workers’ rights, and declared himself fully committed to “the protection of the integrity of the collective bargaining system.” To his dying day, Mandela was proud to remain the Honorary President of South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers.

Today, around the world, free and active trade unions are a key indicator of a healthy democracy and provide some of the best examples of voluntary social organisations challenging or defending the status quo for their members and standing up for social justice and human rights.

The NASUWT is proud to be standing alongside our sisters and brothers worldwide in our collective fight for freedom, human rights and equality.

As the largest teachers’ union in the UK, the NASUWT knows first hand the challenges faced by unions and teachers in securing quality education for every child. Across the globe, the NASUWT is at the forefront of international campaigns for the right to education, including the highly visible campaign to Bring Back our Girls in Nigeria, through to campaigns to secure the right to education for all children in Pakistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Colombia, Zimbabwe and Burma.

And at home, too, the NASUWT is leading the fight for quality education for all children and young people. Because, without access to quality education for all, there can be no progress on equality, and individual life chances will be impoverished.

MINORITY The NASUWT’s groundbreaking report Maintaining World Class Schools makes the case for public education as the basis for a fair and equal society which respects all cultures, faiths and backgrounds.

The report recognises the corrosive and dangerous impact of government reforms on disadvantaged children and young people, and calls for action to be taken to halt their growing exclusion from education, ending child poverty and ensuring a broad and balanced curriculum entitlement for all pupils. These issues are important because, as our research

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n i a t i E r B S I R Y Y L L A A R P a D N s A d e H C ne R A M TUC n Join

confirms, the system is simply not playing fair for black and ethnic minority teachers and pupils.

It is a blight on our schools and on our society that young black people are more likely to be excluded from schools, more likely to leave education with fewer qualifications, and more likely to be unemployed and out of education, employment or training. So, the fight for freedom and jobs must continue today, renewed, and we must add to this call for justice the demand for quality education for all.

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o d n o L n i s u

Saturday 18 October

FREEDOM The NASUWT believes that a change of approach is needed which puts racial equality at the heart of the education agenda. We cannot continue to allow the waste of talent of young people and of teachers because of prejudice, negative stereotyping and bigotry.

We must redouble our efforts over the next 50 years to secure racial and workplace justice, to end the blight of educational disadvantage and joblessness which continues to hold back black and minority ethnic young people.

We need action to bring racial equality from the margins to the centre of our political debate, and, more than ever, trade unions and communities need to stand together to reclaim the promise of our children and young people as we continue our fight for freedom, jobs and quality education.

Assemble Blackfriars Embankment for march to Hyde Park

¢ The NASUWT’s Maintaining

World Class Schools report is available for free download on www.nasuwt.org.uk

Patrick Roach is Deputy General Secretary at the NASUWT. He was appointed as the Union’s Deputy General Secretary in June 2010. Before that he led on equalities and education issues at the union. He is a former college lecturer and researcher at the universities of Warwick and Birmingham where he specialized in social justice and equality.

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Follow us at www.unitetheunion.org/18oct FAIRNESS IN EDUCATION: Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT Deputy General Secretary

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TRADE UNION CONGRESS TRIBUTE EDITION

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NEVILLE LAWRENCE THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2014 THE VOICE | 25

Shaping education for our children

and encourages us all in solidarity with each other and the efforts we are making, each in our own way, to fight for equality.

Comment by Dr Wanda Wyporska, Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Photographer Mark Thomas

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LAUNCH OF UNITE RACE FORWARD CAMPAIGN: Unite National BAEM Committee members outside Unite central office, London

The race forward campaign R

ace discrimination in employment has been unlawful for over 30 years, yet black workers still have higher unemployment rates, a gap of 6.9 percent, lower hourly earnings and predominantly work in lower skilled jobs.

Research shows that unequal treatment by employers remains a significant barrier to ethnic minorities getting work and their treatment at work.

The latest government figures show that union density was highest for black or black British employees at around 28 percent in 2012, with 26.6 percent for white employees and 19.1 percent for Asians or Asian British employees and these workers deserve fair treatment.

Unite has over 82,000 black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAEM) members (nearly 10 percent and London and Eastern Region accounts for nearly 55 percent of our BAEM membership followed by West Mid-

land region at around 15.5 percent.

Our union stands for fairness and equality. We believe that all workers should have equal access to the labour market, career progression, equal pay and fair treatment at work.

We need to put an end to the ‘ethnic penalty’, which leads to disadvantage and must take action on our key priorities.

• Feedback Form • What to do if the employer will not monitor or conduct an audit

For more information please refer to: www.unitetheunion.org

Closing the ethnic minority employment gap

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Tackling the pay gap for black workers

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Fighting for equality of opportunity in promotion

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Dealing effectively with Racial Harassment, Discrimination and Bullying

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Promoting fairness for black women workers

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Negotiating for Union Equality Reps

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Ensuring fair treatment of migrant workers

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• Sample Timeline sheet ¢

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Unite Race Forward Action Pack for local union reps/officers includes: • 5 Step Action Plan for each key priority area

• Further information and contacts

KEY PRIORITY AREAS

Proud sponsors of the Song4Stephen Lawrence songwriting competition

Organising and recruiting black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAEM) workers into Unite

n this supplement we pay tribute to the work of Neville Lawrence.

Both I and ATL, are proud to be asked to play a part in ensuring that there is a positive legacy from the death of Stephen Lawrence.

I am honoured to have been appointed as a Special Advisor on Education to the newly launched Neville Lawrence Foundation and ATL will be spearheading a campaign to encourage more representation in education by people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.

We want you to shape education for all our children, whether that’s as young people, parents, governors, teachers, lecturers, teaching assistants, or community leaders. Most importantly, we want to encourage more BME people to think about teaching and lecturing as a profession.

At ATL’s annual conference, Mr Lawrence launched our network for Black and Minority Ethnic members – teachers, lecturers, support staff and other education staff. He addressed a packed meeting, some of whom were fresh from the TUC’s Black Workers’ Conference held the week prior to ATL’s conference. You might wonder why we organise separate networks and conferences for BME people?

Indeed there are many who say that this is separatism and that equality is about treating everyone the same.

In an ideal world, that would be true, but we know that in reality too many of us have not enjoyed the privileges taken for granted by those who make such criticisms.

SUPPORT Neville Lawrence spoke powerfully as ever, at the Black Workers’ Conference. He was inspirational in his quiet dignity and forceful in his determination to fight racism. By focusing on the three strands of policing, media and education, the Neville Lawrence Foundation will challenge racism at all levels. As we know, racism is pernicious; but we can educate out prejudice, we can challenge racist stereotypes and portrayals in the media and we can certainly make our young people aware of their rights when it comes to policing matters.

With an election coming up, now is the time to mobilise the Black, Asian and minority vote. Now is the time to stand up and say to our politicians, enough. Now is the time to ask candidates from all parties what they are going to do about education, about youth unemployment, about crime and policing and to get some proper answers. Now is the time to hold politicians of all parties to account.

ATL is supporting the Neville Lawrence Foundation with its expertise, with its influence in education and with its support for the Song for Stephen competition. We believe that education has the power to change minds, to empower young people and to give them the confidence to choose the right paths in life. We want education to reflect the aspirations and interests of all our children, so that they are inspired to fulfill their full potential. ATL is proud to help build on the work of Neville Lawrence and of Baroness Lawrence, as we stand on the shoulders of true giants, to ensure that Stephen’s tragic death was not in vain.

TEACHERS When the mainstream media concentrates on the sacking of David Moyes and ignores the sacking of all five Black football managers, when unemployment rates among Black youth are twice that of their White counterparts, when you can count the number of Black students accepted to be history teachers on the fingers of one hand – that is why we still need conferences and networks where Black voices are heard.

After ATL launched the Network, BME members came forward to offer opinions, help and suggestions.

There was a real feeling that our union was a place where they could raise the issues that were important to them and that we would act upon them. Our members supported motions to raise awareness of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and of the impact of Ramadan on exams. Black, Asian and White members all worked together to make these issues high

¢ Dr Wanda Wyporska is the Lead Equalities Officer at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. You can follow her @ATLWanda.

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profile in the media and to make sure the union acted on them. With over 160,000 members all over the country in schools, colleges and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), we can really make a difference.

At the TUC’s Black Workers’ Conference, we highlight a range of issues that are important for BME communities, from the extortionate prices of flights to the Caribbean, to the lack of young BME workers in the

creative industries, to racist ad vans.

ATL’s motion highlighted the lack of BME youth gaining high quality apprenticeships that would lead to good jobs. This coming together fuels our enthusiasm, refreshes campaigning

Proud sponsors of the Song4Stephen Lawrence songwriting competition

26 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 4 - 10, 2014

NEVILLE LAWRENCE THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

TRADE UNION CONGRESS TRIBUTE EDITION

Charity Song for Stephen

L.O.V.E available on iTunes now!

Closing date for entries April 21st 2015

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