“Ensuring that an organisation
reflects the community which it serves
is clear proof of its commitment to equality
and inclusion,” UNISON’s Priscilla
Maramba told delegates, as they backed
a CWU motion calling for a review of trade
union activists and officials and action
to ensure they are reflective of proportionality.
Priscilla added that the greater the
equality of representation, the stronger,
more organised and more inclusive unions
will be. “It will also eliminate
or reduce the “us” and “them”
attitudes from those who feel unrepresented
within the structures. In addition it’s
the most sensible and right thing to do.”
Priscilla also welcomed proportionality
for all elected positions as a method
of increasing participation and representation.
Policies and procedures, although good,
were only a means to an end – “the
end being when we start counting the actual
numbers of disadvantaged groups within
our structures.
“When the numbers begin to add
up then we can say with a clear conscience
that we are inclusive unions,” said
Priscilla.
