Report of the TUC

Black Workers’ Conference 2008

BARGAINING FOR A FAIR WORKPLACE

Floral Hall, Eastbourne

Friday 18 April 14.00 to 17.30

Saturday 19 April 09.30 to 17.30

Sunday 20 April 09.15 to 13.00

CONTENTS Page(s)

REPORT 2

RESOLUTIONS CARRIED 3-15

MOTIONS WITHDRAWN, LOST AND REMITTED 16-17

STATEMENTS FROM THE RACE COMMITTEE 18

ELECTION RESULTS 19

VOTE OF THANKS 20

MOTION TO CONGRESS 23

IN THE CHAIR: Zita Holbourne Conference was attended by 218 delegates from 31 affiliated unions, 8 representatives from Trades Union Councils and Regional Councils, 49 visitors and 10 exhibitors. APPOINTMENT OF TELLERS AND SCRUTINEERS It was agreed that the following delegates should act as Tellers and Scrutineers:

Lucy Jera NASUWT Wendy Jones FDA Christine tucker ACCORD David Uduehi POA Malcolm Weston Connect

CHAIR’S ADDRESS The Chair addressed the Conference on Friday afternoon. GENERAL SECRETARY’S AND PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary, and Dave Prentis, TUC President, addressed the Conference on Friday afternoon. GUEST SPEAKERS On Friday Afternoon, Donna Covey, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council addressed the conference On Saturday morning, Ms P Kamalam, Director of Equalities at the International Trade Union Confederation addressed the Conference. On Saturday afternoon, Zohra Moosa from the Fawcett Society Congress addressed the Conference. On Sunday morning, Simon Chase, Campaigns officer Action for South Africa addressed the Conference.

REPORT OF THE RACE RELATIONS COMMITTEE

The Report of the Race Relations Committee, on their work during the year and on issues considered by the General Council, which were of particular importance, was approved.

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RESOLUTIONS THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS WERE CARRIED: Please note: all accepted amendments have been incorporated into the texts. 1. CLOSING THE ETHNIC MINORITY EMPLOYMENT GAP 'Conference welcomes the report from the National Employment Panel on race equality in the workplace published in October 2007 – see www.nationalemploymentpanel.gov.uk/work/buscom.htm. Conference notes in particular the conclusion that discrimination by employers’ accounts for between one third and half of the ethnic minority employment gap. This means that around 250,000 black workers have been denied a job because of their colour. Conference also welcomes the proposal to encourage employers to change their behaviour using a mix of public procurement policy and the Commission for Equality and Human Rights reviews, backed up by the possibility of legislation if a voluntary approach has not clearly led to improvements in race equality in the workplace by 2012. Conference recognises the vital and unique role that trade unions can play in challenging and eliminating discrimination in employment and urges all affiliates to review their bargaining work and priorities to reflect the urgent need to close the ethnic minority employment gap. Moved by: Connect Seconded by Public and Commercial Services Union 2. THE ROLE OF THE REGULATORS Conference expresses continuing concern over the insufficient progress being made on achieving race equality and diversity in the UK workplace. Conference believes that achieving greater progress is of paramount public interest as the impact of economic inequality is felt in communities across the UK. Conference further believes that working to achieve such progress should be the responsibility of every industry organisation and that regulators, which are obliged to have regard to the public interest, have a significant role to play. Conference therefore calls on the Government to act to ensure that regulators take on a stronger and more proactive role in requiring companies in their sector to take effective action on race equality including equality monitoring and target setting and that the regulators publish the data annually. Moved by Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union Seconded by Connect

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3. CAMPAIGNING FOR PUBLIC SERVICES This Conference notes with concern the implications for public services arising from the programme of cuts and the arbitrary 2 per cent pay limit for public sector workers, arising from the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, setting out Government spending plans for the three years 2008-11. Conference notes that these attacks are compounded further by the ongoing policy of the privatisation of public services. Conference further notes that the detrimental impact of the programme of public service cuts, pay restraint and privatisation, fall heavily on black workers, as both users of public services and as public servants.

Cuts in Services such as colleges and community education further disadvantages black communities. We call on the TUC Race Relations Committee to work with Public Sector unions to document the detrimental impact of public service cuts on black and other disadvantaged communities and to campaign to publicise the socially divisive nature of public service cuts. Conference therefore calls on the TUC Race Relations Committee to:

i) contribute to the wider TUC campaign on the coordination of action by affiliates to oppose the cuts, the arbitrary restraint of public sector pay and the privatisation of public services; and

ii) highlight the particular impact of these policies on black workers. Moved by Napo Seconded by University and College Union 5. INVOLVEMENT OF BLACK AND ASIAN MEMBERS IN COMPANY –

UNION STRUCTURES Conference is concerned at the under representation of black and Asian workers in many company – union structures. Even where there are high numbers of black and Asian workers in the workplace, negotiating and consultative structures do not always provide an effective vehicle for their voice to be heard. Black and Asian members are often absent from these structures or not represented in proportion to their overall numbers in the workforce and the Union. Conference is concerned that this means that the issues affecting black and Asian workers do not appear on bargaining and consultative agendas and there is a lack of role models for newer black and Asian members. Conference welcomes the work being done by affiliates and the TUC to take positive action measures to encourage more Black and Asian members to get involved in these

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structures and believes this should continue to be a priority area of work in the coming year. Conference calls upon the TUC to support and develop training and practical project ideas that address the issue of black and Asian trade union representatives being under represented in company Union structures. Moved by: Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers Seconded by: GMB 6. TEMPORARY AND AGENCY WORKERS Conference believes employment agencies and end users must be regulated and monitored in order to preserve the dignity and respect of workers human rights. Conference believes equal treatment rights for agency workers are vital to address issues of exploitation, undercutting of wages and community cohesion. Conference believes the most vulnerable workers are migrant workers and that UK immigration policy, including the Workers Registration Scheme, has to be re-examined to tackle the worst aspects of vulnerable working. Conference believes the extension of trade union organisation, recognition and collective bargaining coverage should be seen as a central priority in addressing temporary and agency employment. Conference resolves that:

i) temporary workers must have employment rights from day one; ii) the remit of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority should be extended to

cover all sectors of the economy, with licensing for all providers of temporary labour;

iii) Government at both national an local level should examine how its role as a major procurer of services can be better used to effectively enforce best employment practice; and

iv) there needs to be an improvement in resources for community advice and legal services, particularly in areas pertinent to migrant workers such as immigration, employment, housing law and ESOL training.

Moved by Unite – Amicus Seconded by UNISON 7. GANGMASTERS Conference is dismayed by the comments made by John Hutton, the Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, at TUC Congress 2007 when he said the Construction Design Management (CDM) Regulations were ‘a better prospect’ for

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dealing with abuses in construction than extending the Gangmasters Licensing Act to this sector. Conference notes that the CDM regulations are a valuable tool in attempts to increase the safety of construction sites, however the CDM regulations do not prevent the exploitation of those working for gangmasters. Conference further notes the research conducted by Sheffield University, on behalf of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority, which found 10,000 Gangmasters in operation in unlicensed sectors of the British economy and that 32 per cent of the construction industry operates in the ‘shadow economy’. Conference calls on the TUC General Council to expand its campaign for the Gangmasters Licensing Act to be extended into the construction industry in order to reduce the exploitation and abuses being experienced by tens of thousands of vulnerable construction workers on a daily basis. Conference recognises that migrant workers and workers from black and minority ethnic backgrounds are of greatest risk of exploitation by gangmasters” Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians Moved by Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians Seconded by Communication Workers Union 8. RACIAL ABUSE Conference is profoundly concerned by the increasing evidence of growing tolerance to bigotry and abuse against black people and immigrants in Britain shown – for example in the recent finding of the British Social Attitudes Survey - that nearly a third of respondents said that they were racially prejudiced and that they considered that ‘equal opportunities had gone too far’. Racist attitudes of this kind are continually encouraged by the right-wing press with impunity and the overwhelmingly positive contribution which black and migrant working people make to national and local economic, social and cultural development goes unacknowledged. Conference calls on all the public authorities to ensure that there is no slackening of the unremitting pursuit of racial abuse and violence to make sure that all know that it will not be tolerated. Conference also calls on the Government to address continuing inequality in recruitment in important national institutions and to act robustly to prevent unscrupulous employers from preying upon the vulnerability of migrants to exploitation in employment by exploiting them and making it very difficult for them to join an independent trade union. Conference further instructs the TUC Race Relations Committee to arrange an urgent meeting with the EHRC to discuss steps to be taken to tackle this issue. Moved by: Community Seconded by: Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen

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9. RACISM IN THE MEDIA Conference notes with grave concern that the British National Party was allocated time to publicise its policies through the national media during the 2007 elections, in the form of party election broadcasts and in news items on prime time news programmes. Conference is clear that the BNP is a racist and fascist party, spreading lies and misinformation. Conference reiterates TUC policy that fascists should never be given a platform. Conference recognises and commends the work of many journalists and others working in the media who struggle and campaign to counter negative publicity and impact. Conference is further concerned about reporting that exploits stereotypes, particularly issues relating to Islam, travellers and gypsies. The inevitable conclusion is that the British media lacks any real commitment to challenging racism and tackling institutional resistance to implementing equal opportunities policies. Conference urges the TUC Race Relations Committee and TUC affiliates to:

i) make an urgent representations to the various media organisations to convey these concerns and to seek urgent action to improve the situation; and

ii) use their own journals and media to publicise anti-racist work regularly and counter arguments against racist and fascist views.

Moved by Prospect Seconded by: Public and Commercial Services Union 10(a) THE FAR RIGHT Conference is alarmed by the rise in BNP councillors and possible future gains. The BNP is not a democratic political party, but a collection of racists and fascists, many of whom have extensive criminal records. A rise in racist attacks is evident wherever BNP is active. Conference is extremely concerned about BNP’s propaganda on immigration, asylum, migrant workers and terrorism assisted by the media and government. Clearly, lack of public provisions, particularly social housing play into the hands of the Far Right. Conference calls on the Government to:

i) adopt clear policies tackling poverty and alienation particularly in housing; ii) provide accurate information/perspectives on immigration and contribution

made by migrant workers; and

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iii) legislate to ban fascist rallies and pressurise the media to refrain from giving BNP coverage.

iv) To provide guidance to their members on dispelling the myths about migrants and asylum seekers propagated by far right organisations, in conjunction with the TUC

Conference is aware of ‘Young BNP’ targeting 15-26 year olds and deeply concerned that the far right is seeking to poison young people’s minds at school gates, colleges and universities. Conference calls on affiliates to continue to:

a) Resource campaigns against the far right, working closely with TUC, Searchlight and Unite against Fascism;

b) Support education unions stopping BNP’s racist message reaching children and young people; and

c) Include anti-fascism/racism in their Schools Programme. Moved by Unite - Transport and General Workers’ Union Seconded by National Union of Teachers 10(b) FIGHTING THE FAR RIGHT Conference applauds all the good work done by the whole trade union movement for campaigning actively against the Far-Right. However, to ensure that extremist right wing parties do not increase their votes at the General Election, European Elections and Local Elections, we must look at other aspects of campaigning against extremist political parties. Conference calls upon the TUC Race Relations Committee and other organisations with similar objectives to the trade union movement, to actively oppose all forms of racism, fascism and homophobia and furthermore to look into changing legislation on broadcasting and delivery of leaflets that currently result in a cost to the taxpayer, including the representation of the People’s Act. Moved by Communication Workers Union Seconded by: Public and commercial services Union 11. UNITED FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAMPAIGN Conference wishes to show their commitment to support the United Friends and Family Campaigns in their ongoing struggle to get justice for their families and friends following their deaths in custody. On Saturday 25 October 2008 at 1300 The United Friends and Family Campaign will be silently marching from Trafalgar Square to Downing Street for the 10th year.

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Conference supports the UFFC and this year we want to make a commitment to the campaign anniversary in the following ways: The TUC Race Relations Committee should:

i) co-ordinate the sending of correspondence to all affiliated trade unions encouraging them to support the UFFC by donating financially to the campaign;

ii) co-ordinate correspondence to all affiliated trade unions to highlight the demands of the UFFC Campaign;

iii) co-ordinate correspondence to all affiliated trade unions to encourage them to support the attendance of members to the 10th anniversary procession;

iv) encourage affiliated trade unions to invite speakers from UFFC to their trade union meetings/conferences in order to raise the profile of the campaign; and

v) encourage affiliated trade unions to affiliate to UFFC and associated deaths in custody campaigns.

All TUC Black Workers’ Conference delegates should raise the 10th anniversary procession in October with their trade unions to encourage support for attendance at the march by the union and members with banners and supporters. Moved by: Fire Brigades Union Seconded by Communication Workers Union 12. RACE RELATIONS AND THE PUBLIC SERVICES Conference congratulates the former CRE for recommending to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) that legal action be taken against fifteen Government Departments for failure to comply with their duties under the Race Relations Act. Conference believes that this failure to take action is an indictment of the Government’s commitment to tackle racial inequality in the labour market and allows the private sector to resist legislation on the basis that it is ineffective. Conference considers that use of legal enforcement is an important tool to ensure compliance with the race duties and believes that the EHRC must be encouraged to use its enforcement powers to challenge employers as part of its strategy to deal with discrimination in the workplace. Conference calls on the TUC to re-establish the TUC/CRE Liaison Committee with the new EHRC to ensure that race equality is included and progressed in the Government’s equality agenda and encourage affiliates to:

i) train workplace and equality reps to use the template developed by the CRE to measure whether Race Equality Schemes are compliant; and

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ii) complain to the EHRC where Race Equality Schemes are not compliant and press them to take legal action.

Moved by: Public and Commercial Services Union Seconded by Prospect 13. PUBLIC HEALTH AGENDA Conference welcomes the Government’s policy to improve public health and notes that some groups of black and minority ethnic people are disproportionately affected by certain illnesses such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes which can be affected by conditions in the workplace. Conference calls on the TUC to engage with Government on the health promotion agenda. Conference also calls on TUC to assist affiliates to do the same with employers to encourage them to take a more pro-active approach to promote healthy living among their staff including supportive measures to assist with rehabilitation following a period of ill health or injury. This could include sharing information about good practice initiatives such as:

i) encouraging workers to take appropriate breaks; ii) providing information to help avoid musculoskeletal disorders associated

with poor posture and lengthy periods spent at work stations or poor manual handling techniques;

iii) tackling the causes of stress at work; and iv) providing healthy eating options in canteens and vending machines.

Conference recognises that racism and racist abuse at work has a serious, damaging effect on the health and well being of black and minority ethnic workers and urges government, the TUC and affiliates to address this in their work on health promotion. Moved by: Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Seconded by Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers 14. LACK OF PROGRESS ON ETHNIC DIVERSITY IN THE SENIOR CIVIL

SERVICE Conference notes that targets to address the under-representation of minority ethnic staff within the Senior Civil Service have been in place since 2001. However, little progress has been made to increase ethnic diversity at senior levels. Conference also notes that despite some excellent work by Government Departments, the CRE in 2007 identified 15 Departments that were failing to implement the Race Equality Duty in relation to employment.

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Conference urges the TUC to support the civil service unions in calling the Government to:

i) undertake a comprehensive review with robust recommendations concerning the work being undertaken across all departments to increase levels of BME staff in senior posts, and in particular the extent to which stereotyping and prejudice, a lack of training and development opportunities, the impact of external recruitment into senior posts and promotion prospects, have contributed to this lack of progress;

ii) improve the recording of ethnicity data; iii) compile and publish the progress made by each department towards the

targets set; and iv) make central funding available to support meaningful training and

development opportunities for BME staff, promote an understanding of race discrimination and equality, and provide training for all staff involved in recruitment and selection decisions.

Moved by FDA Seconded by Unison 15. THE PRISON CRISIS Conference notes with concern the alarming rise in the prison population over recent years. Conference condemns the Government for its lack of preparation to provide sufficient prison places to cope with the prison population without resorting to the use of excessive overcrowding. Conference notes with alarm the disproportionate number of black and ethnic minority people in the criminal justice system. Conference notes the rise in the prison population and the failure to provide ongoing training to staff in order to embrace the increasing multicultural nature of the prison population. This Conference calls on the TUC General Council to campaign to ensure that the Government address this issue as a matter of urgency. Moved by: POA Seconded by: Napo 16. ACADEMY SCHOOLS AND RACE EQUALITY Conference opposes the Government’s Academy school programme. Conference agrees that the Government must tackle the long-standing problems of educational disadvantage and inequality. However, Conference believes that the

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Academy schools programme has greatly exacerbated the problems of inequality in the workplace and undermined the public sector ethos in education. Conference asserts that the freedoms available to academy school sponsors mean that staff, many of whom are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, often receive inferior pay and are employed on less favourable conditions than staff in other maintained schools. Conference, therefore, calls upon the TUC to lobby the Government to ensure:

i) no further expansion of the Academy school programme; ii) immediate action to audit the race equality impact on pupils and the

workforce in existing Academy schools and publish the results; and iii) the return of all existing Academy schools to the local authority

maintained sector. Moved by: National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers Seconded by Prospect 17. COMMUNITY COHESION, INTEGRATION AND EQUALITY Conference notes the various Government initiatives, which intend to promote community cohesion, equality and integration in our communities. Conference notes the challenges and opportunities that increased migration brings for schools and the broader community and its implications for effective community cohesion strategies. Conference recognises the effects on schools of the significant increase of economic migrant workers as a result of EU expansion. Conference believes that increased funding is needed to meet the increased language needs of many schools. Conference is deeply concerned therefore about the uncertain future of the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant for schools. Conference notes the significant contribution, which schools make to the social cohesion of all communities. The Government’s ‘diversity and choice’ agenda fundamentally militates against ‘fair access’ and community cohesion. The establishment of Academies and Trust schools have a negative impact. Conference calls on the TUC to press the Government to:

i) guarantee security of EMAG funding in the long-term; ii) substantially increase the funding allocation to reflect the increasing need;

and iii) return Academies to the local authority family of schools.

Moved by: National Union of Teachers Seconded by: UNISON

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18. TACKLING RACISM THROUGH EDUCATION Conference notes that around one in two black pupils are not achieving five or more good GCSEs and that black pupils are three times more likely to be permanently excluded from school than their white peers. Conference is also extremely concerned that some mainly white schools find it difficult to teach about anti-racism and multiculturalism, and that a significant number of teachers lack confidence in engaging with diversity issues. Insufficient clarity about flexibility within the National Curriculum is often cited as one of the obstacles to understanding how links between subjects and education for equality and social justice can be made. Conference acknowledges that education is crucial in facilitating cultural change and meaningful integration rooted in anti-racism. Schools and colleges are at the heart of promoting an inclusive, just and fair society, but they also often implicitly reproduce existing cultural prejudices and stereotypes through what is known as the ‘hidden curriculum’. Conference therefore calls on the TUC and its affiliated unions to:

i) facilitate a debate about the roots of racism and the related power structures both within the education system and society in general; and

ii) lead a wide-ranging educational campaign for social transformation and structural change based on anti-racism.

Moved by: Association of Teachers and Lecturers Seconded by University and College Union 19. STOP AND SEARCH Conference notes with increasing concern recent government statistics for 2005-06 showing a large increase in stop and searches carried out under anti-terrorism laws with Asian people bearing the brunt. The figures (Criminal Justice System by Ethnic Group issued by Ministry of Justice in October 2007) showed an increase of 34 per cent on the previous year – in the City of London, the police carried out 6,846 stops of pedestrians and vehicles without finding enough evidence to justify a single arrest. The figures show that the racial divide in stop and search aimed at stopping non-terrorist crime also became starter. Black people were seven times more likely to be stopped and searched by police. These statistics debunk the myth that there is less stop and search by the police and instead there has been an increase. Conference believes that the introduction of ID Cards for non-EU citizens will result in increased of racial profiling in the workplace and an increase in black workers being asked to prove they have permission to work

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Conference calls on the TUC to campaign and lobby Government ministers to bring an end to this racial stop and search divide and continue to campaign against the introduction n of ID Cards and end racial profiling in the workplace. Moved by: National Union of Journalists Seconded by: Unite – Transport and General Workers Union 20. YOUTH RELATED GUN AND KNIFE CRIME This conference is concerned at the rising number of attacks and fatalities within BME communities and calls upon the Government to give urgent attention to this serious, increasing, issue, which has a destructive, detrimental, impact on society. The fight to reduce gun violence must be waged on two fronts. First, there is a need to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, prevent youths from gaining access to firearms. Secondly, a cohesive and comprehensive strategy to prevent gun related crime and violence is needed. Conference demands that task forces are created to identify the root cause, propose solutions and implement effective actions to reduce and eventually eradicate the appalling level of gun and knife violence. Immediate action is required to prevent further needless loss of young lives, which has a devastating effect on local communities and destroys the lives of the bereaved families and friends. Moved by: Accord Seconded by Unison 22. ZIMBABWE Conference is appalled at the human rights violations that are taking place every day in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is in its seventh year of recession with annual inflation of over 1,200 per cent and its people denied access to food, water, housing and medical care are in a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of trade union and human rights activists have been imprisoned and subjected to brutal attacks and Zimbabwe is now rivalling Colombia as one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a trade union activist in. Despite United Nation sanctions, President Mugabe’s brutal regime and oppression of his people continues unabated. We applaud the efforts of South African President Thabo Mbeki in trying to break the deadlock over Zimbabwe’s political crisis amid signs that the Mugabe Government would not yield to opposition demands for a new constitution.

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We call on the General Council to work with the Government at all levels to ensure that aid is released to avert the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Zimbabwe. Conference calls on the General Council to highlight the plight of Zimbabwe with all their affiliates and ask them to raise the issue with their Parliamentary Groups of MPs, MSPs and Welsh Assembly members. Moved by: Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen Seconded by: ACCORD 23. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JNR – MEMORIAL Conference recognises the contribution of Martin Luther King to the struggle for freedom and justice not only in the United States but globally. He was and still remains an inspiration not only to African-Americans but to all who believe in the dignity of human beings, no matter what their colour or race. Conference asks the General Council to actively lobby the Government to ensure that the 40th anniversary year of the assassination of Martin Luther King is appropriately recognised. The quest for justice goes on and the 40th anniversary should provide the spur to create a lasting memorial to someone whose words still have relevancy in the 21st century and the power to inspire. Moved by: National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Seconded by: TSSA

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THE FOLLOWING MOTION WAS LOST: 4. MODERNISATION OF RACE EQUALITY IN TRADE UNIONS This conference notes:

i) A fundamental shift in the composition of the UK economy from manufacturing to the service sector, an increase in part time working, temporary working and the contracting out of public services. All of which have had an impact on the Black and Ethnic Minority (BaME) workers and their communities.

ii) In the past BaME workers were disproportionately likely to be members of trade unions. This is no longer the case;

iii) The composition of the labour market is changing with the continued migration particularly from Eastern Europe;

iv) There is now a Statutory Duty on the public sector to promote race equality; and

v) A review of discrimination legislation is in progress and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHCR) has been established to replace the old equality commissions and give a lead on all equality strands.

The GMB therefore calls on TUC to build on the past achievements and successes in which affiliates have organised their Black and Ethnic Minority members and, in consultation with those affiliates, review and report back in 2009 if the current arrangements are fit for purpose. GMB

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THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT AND MOTION WERE REMITTED AMENDMENT TO MOTION 1 Insert new paragraph 3

“Conference notes recent research by Bradford university regarding BME experiences in employment identifies that BME employees are considerable more at risk of experiencing bullying due to their minority status and, in certain sectors, their limited power in the labour market lack of support from colleagues leads to further exclusion and isolation, female and older BME employees are most at risk”

Unite - Amicus 5. HONOUR KILLINGS Conference notes that violence against women includes mental, physical and sexual abuse. Domestic violence is the most prevalent form of abuse affecting 25 per cent of all women irrespective of race, religion, class, culture or education. Domestic violence also includes ‘honour’ killing. This crime is often carried out by men against women in their own family who the men perceive to have tarnished the family’s reputation. The police believe there are approximately 12 ‘honour’ killings in Britain each year. Banaz Mahmood, a 20 year old from London, whose dismembered body was found buried in a suitcase in Birmingham in 2006, was one such victim. Conference believes that there is no honour in the abuse or murder of any woman. Conference therefore welcomes 8 March as International Women’s Day and the campaigns by affiliates such as Unison to increase awareness about zero tolerance for violence against women. Conference calls upon the TUC and its affiliates to:

i) campaign to end violence towards women, particularly ‘honour’ killing; and

ii) raise awareness of ‘honour’ killings in Britain. Unison

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The Conference endorsed the following statement on honour killings by the Race Relations Committee to the 2008 TUC Black Workers’ Conference The Race Relations Committee note that the issue of so called ‘Honour Killings’ has increasingly become a subject for controversy and debate among politicians, policy makers and the police. The Committee believes that there is no honour in the abuse or murder of any woman and that such killings are a human rights issue and indicative of the domestic abuse and violence that affects all women irrespective of race, religion, culture or class. Whilst acknowledging that issues of violence against women in black communities needs to be raised and tackled, the Committee is concerned that the debate about deaths resulting from domestic violence is, in the context of honour killings, being viewed through the lens of cultural identity. This, in the context of the Government’s security and ‘community cohesion’ agenda only serves to further isolate particular groups of women and distorts the reality of the sexism and racism they experience. At the same time specialist service providers for black women fleeing domestic violence face cutbacks, funding crises and mergers with ‘generic services’. The Committee is also concerned that punitive murders, committed by members of a family or wider community who believe that a person has brought dishonour on the family or community is also an issue that is relevant to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The TUC Race Relations Committee will work with the TUC Women’s and LGBT Committees and General Council to: • Highlight the problem of domestic violence in all communities; • Highlight the ongoing funding crisis being experienced by specialist Service

providers for black women and children fleeing domestic violence. • Work and campaign with organisations in the black community supporting

women and LGBT people who suffer from domestic and state violence.

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ELECTION RESULTS For the TUC Race Relations Committee 2008-09 The following were nominated to the TUC Race Relations Committee for 2007 – 2008 SECTION A (Fourteen Places) Votes Pauline Anderson Napo 151Mohamed Benkharmaz Unite-AMICUS 141Gargi Bhattacharyya UCU 152Freddie Brown Prospect 160Mark Clifford Unison 149Floyd Doyle ASLEF 153Zita Holbourne PCS 159Mansur Khan RMT 91Roger King NUT 145Michael Nicholas FBU 158Dotun Alade Odumosu GMB 155Harish Patel Unite- T&G Section 149Joia Shillingford BECTU WithdrawnIan Taylor CWU 155Freddie Toolaram Community 133Maureen Williams USDAW 154 The following were declared elected in Section A: Pauline Anderson, Mohamed Benkharmaz, Gargi Bhattacharyya, Freddie Brown, Mark Clifford, Floyd Doyle, Zita Holbourne, Roger King, Michael Nicholas, Dotun Alade Odumosu, Harish Patel, Ian Taylor, Freddie Toolaram, Maureen Williams. SECTION B (Four Places) The following were elected unopposed in Section B: Indira Bhansali Society of radiographers Lorna Campbell PCS Collette Cork-Hurst Unite- T&G Section Sybil Dilworth Unite – Amicus

SECTION C (One place) Jitu Depala Community Elected

SECTION D (One place) Phyllis Opoku-Gyimah PCS Elected

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CLOSING DETAILS VOTE OF THANKS

The vote of thanks was moved by Patrick Williams, University and College Union, and seconded by Richard Reed, Fire Brigades Union.

MOTION TO CONGRESS Conference voted for Resolution 1 - “Closing the Ethnic Minority Employment gap” – to be sent to TUC Congress 2008.

The Conference ended at 12noon on Sunday 20 April 2008.

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Published by: Trades Union Congress Congress House Great Russell Street London WC1B 3LS www.tuc.org.uk

© 2008 Trades Union Congress For more copies of this title contact our ordering point on 020 7467 1294 or smills@tuc.org.uk Bulk discounts may be offered. All TUC publications may be made available for dyslexic or visually impaired readers, on request, in an agreed electronic format or in accessible formats such as braille, audio tape and large print, at no extra cost. Enquiries concerning the TUC Black Workers’ Conference 2008 Should be directed to the TUC Equality and Employment Rights Department On 020 7467 1355

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