TUC BLACK WORKERS CONFERENCE

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2023 :: RMTnews 12 This year’s TUC black workers conference included three days of panel discussions including Amazon trade union founder Chris Smalls, Q&A with addresses from the TUC President, workshops and much more. RMT were represented with a full delegation of members including Sabia Adeel, Walé Agunbiade, Farooq Ahmed, Itohan Akpoveta, Olanrewaju Apantaku, John Feehan, Lamin Jaiteh, Ebony Kingston, Shoaib Malik, Melecia Mullings, Thobani Ncube, Uchenna Ngadi, Shirall Smith, Beverleigh Thomas, and Raymond Williams. As the secretary of the black and ethnic advisory committee Mel Mullings was the delegation leader and despite RMT’s relatively small number in comparison to other unions they were able to get motion 14 ‘End the Hostile Environment’ voted to go to Congress in September. This was assisted by LTRC BSC holding a lunch time fringe meeting on the hostile environment. Conference notes with concern that the Windrush Compensation Scheme was ‘not fit for purpose’ given that only one per cent of appeals are successful. Figures revealed through a Freedom of Information request showed that out of 3,479 claimant appeals in 2021, only 42 resulted in a settlement. Conference noted that this low appeal success rate was unsurprising given that the Windrush scandal was perpetrated by the Home Office and by having them run the Compensation Scheme was like marking their own homework. These figures show the need for an inquiry into the scandal and for taking the compensation scheme out of the government's hands and having it run by an independent body. Conference therefore called for: • a statutory judge-led public inquiry into how the Windrush scandal came about and the failings of the compensation scheme. • the Windrush Compensation Scheme to be run independently of the Home Office. • a Windrush Act which will place a duty on public bodies to reduce race disparities in areas such as education, criminal justice, work, health and community cohesion. This legislation to also establish a commonwealth community cohesion fund to tackle disparities and rebuild social and economic ties of communities damaged by the Windrush scandal. Mel Mullings said that conference had been a resounding success and all delegates should be praised for their positive participation. Speaking up on so many issues, having both delegates elected onto the TUC race relations committee in their first attempt having our motion chosen out of 24 to go to congress and a full delegation in attendance. “We must take this achievement and build on it for the future and Ray Williams and myself will be going to TUC Congress in September so our motion will be well represented. “You are welcome to our next B&EM advisory committee meeting and if there are vacancies in your region, please step up to fill it. We need your voice to represent our B&EM members fully,” she said. TUC BLACK WORKERS CONFERENCE RMT delegates elected to the TUC race relations committee ELECTED: Olanrewaju Apantaku and Mel Mullings