'We must mobilise for race equality'

Louise Nousratpour in Scarborough
Sunday April 26, 2009
The Morning Star

TRADE unionists vowed on Sunday to mobilise in the fight for racial equality in Parliament and the labour movement.

Delegates at the TUC black workers' conference heard calls to organise at the grass roots and the ballot box in response to the glaring shortage of ethnic-minority MPs.

Prospect delegate Satnam Ner pointed out that, of the 659 MPs, only 15 are from ethnic minorities, just two of whom are women.

"According to research, it will take 75 years before we have adequate representation - we cannot wait that long," he told the conference in Scarborough.

"With so many talented and articulate black activists, we must mobilise around a political and practical programme to tackle the issue."

Unite delegate Kingsley Abrams called for parliamentary shortlists to include black candidates.

And Khi Rafe of UNISON urged people to take inspiration from US President Barack Obama.

Removing her shirt to reveal an Obama T-shirt, Ms Rafe said: "This is the first ever black president of the most powerful country in the world.

"He went out into the communities and got in contact with people - black and white, men and women, young and old. That is what we must do."

Guest speaker Simon Woolley of Operation Black Vote told delegates on Saturday: "We must not let the legacy of mental slavery hold us back and aim for the top.

"You are the front-line warriors of justice," he said to cheers.

"Find out how many black members you have got and organise them. If you register every black person to vote, we will hold the key to Downing Street."

A separate motion on Friday highlighted the gross under-representation of ethnic-minority members at the top of trade unions.

Some delegates suggested that the movement may unwittingly be suffering from institutional racism.

Moving the motion, CWU delegate Ian Taylor complained that no-one knew the scale of the problem as no research had been carried out.

"Many black people feel that union representation is not matched by the level of membership," he said, calling for a study to address the issue.

UNISON delegate Sharon Foster agreed that the TUC must examine how paid senior officers are recruited "to find whether institutional racism exists in the movement."