Black workers vow to beat racism

Louise Nousratpour in Scarborough
Friday April 24, 2009
The Morning Star

DELEGATES at the TUC black workers conference in Scarborough were on Thursday called to organise against rising racism and fascism in the face of the worst economic crisis since the second world war.

Opening the three-day event, conference chairman Leslie Manasseh and guest speaker TUC president Shelia Bearcroft warned that black workers were disproportionately hit by the recession - both in terms of job losses and racial abuse at work and in society.

Those sections of the economy where Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) workers are over-represented - finance, retail, hospitality, etc - are worst hit by the crisis and consequent job losses, conference heard.

Mr Manasseh pointed to TUC findings last year that unemployment in black communities is still double that in white communities.

Black workers were also being denied promotion and access to training, he said, while suffering disproportionately from workplace bullying and unequal pay.

"In times of recession, black workers will not only be the first ones to lose their jobs, but workplace promotion will fall even lower and racism will flourish as the far-right will use the opportunity to scapegoat black communities," Mr Manasseh warned.

He stressed: "Now is the time to urge colleagues not just to pay their subs but get involved actively.

"Now is the time to make clear what we practically want to change, to organise ourselves and play an equal and leading role in our unions."

Ms Bearcroft, a former factory worker and shop steward, drew attention to far-right group BNP attempts to gain seats at the European Parliamentary elections in June and urged conference to make "special effort" to stop the fascists.

"If we can mobilise all union members and their families and friends to vote on June 4, the BNP will not stand a chance," she said.

"If the BNP wins seats in Europe," she warned, "it will have repercussions far beyond Britain as racist groups across Europe are seeking to create a far-right block in the European Parliament to advance their politics of hate."

Ms Bearcroft ended her address with a few apt words from her father, who was a miner in south Wales: "On this earth there is only one race - the human race."

Racism and the impact of the recession on black and ethnic minority workers are the two major issues being discussed in a series of motions over the weekend.