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Scottish Black Members Committee
Report to NBMC—04 June 2007
The Scottish Black members Committee
continues to implement two main objectives.
- To raise a positive profile of the Committee
within UNISON
- To increase involvement of Black members,
within Scottish UNISON
1. National Black Member's Conference
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National Black members Conference
took place in Liverpool from 19 to 21 January
2007.
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UNISON Scotland branches supported
SBMC's call, by sending 6 delegates and 2 visitors
from various branches to the conference.
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SBMC is all praise for UNISON
Scotland / its branches for their commitment
to the effective participation of black members
at National level and Regional level.
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At the conference, SBMC moved
two motions which were unanimously carried.
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Black Members Training Weekend
- UNISON Black Members Training Weekend will
be organised after consultations with black
members regarding their training needs.
- The Scottish Learning & Organising Committee
in its recent meeting expressed its commitment
to support organise SBMC training weekend, which
is scheduled to take place at Edinburgh, hopefully
in September 2007.
- SBMC has forwarded the details of "Mainstreaming
of Equality" training programme to the
Regional Learning & Organising Committee,
for action. The programme was developed by Mr
Pav Akhtar our National Equality Officer. The
Regional Learning & Organising Committee
has assured SBMC that it has set up a sub-committee
to consider the national training programme,
and to deal with Scottish Black Members training
issues.
- The SBMC seeks support from Scottish branches,
to send more and more new black members to attend
SBMC training event.
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TUC BM Conference 2007 and
STUC
- The SBMC adopted the existing procedure to
send elected black members to represent our
self organising group on TUC Black Members Conference
2007 and STUC 2007.
- The SBMC agreed to nominate Hamid Rasheed
(to attend TUC Black Members Conference 2007)
and Ravi Nathan (to represent SBMC at STUC 2007).
- Both SBMC reps took active part in debates
and delivered speeches on motions agreed by
UNISON delegate to the two conferences.
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Anti BNP activities:
- Produced 6 page special Anti- BNP NEWSLETTER,
to reinforce the message, not to cast vote
for BNP in May 2007 elections.
- Active Anti-BNP campaigning, distribution
of leaflets, by hand and electronically among
black members.
- Ravi, Bernard and Hamid manned Unison Stall
at "Allah Made Me Funny", anti racism event
which took place in Glasgow.
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Development of Black Self
Organising Groups in Scottish Branches:
- This year SBMC set up a target for itself
to form at least one SOG in a Scottish Branch.
SBMC has achieved this target.
- A black self organising group at NHS Lothian
Health Branch has been shaped up.
- It is the first SOG of its kind in NHS Scottish
Branches.
- This SOG will be fully functional immediately
after its first meet on 30 June 2007.
- The chair SBMC congratulated the branch for
its support and praised the efforts of its
black equality officers (David Okalo Olwa and Lui
Giacomo), for their work in creation of the
SOG.
- Work is in progress, to shape black SOG at
Glasgow Health branch, Fife Local Government
branches.
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Show Racism The Red Card:
- SBMC members actively participated in last
years "Show Racism the Red Card" fortnight
of events.
- In Perth, SBMC members staged an event to
build community cohesion by involving the Perth
and Kinross branch of UNISON, St Johnston Football
Club, and Local Muslim Community.
- The event was the first of its kind in Perthshire,
and received massive publicity by the local
and regional media.
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St Andrew's Day March
To ensure accountability; SBMC aims
to present regular report on its activities to the
future NBMC, Scottish Committee and Scottish Council
meetings.
Ravi Nathan / Hamid Rasheed
Scottish Black Members Committee
Representatives
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