Over 500 trade unionists took part across the day in the TUC & Stand Up To Racism’s hybrid (in person and online) Fighting For Anti Racist Workplaces conference on Saturday 5 February. The conference opened with a message from TUC general secretary Paul Nowak, pledging ongoing support for Stand Up To Racism, the conference and marches on 18 March on London, Glasgow and Cardiff, and the anti racist movement.
A plenary opened the day on THE TUC RACE REPORT: Fighting for Anti Racist Workplaces, which heard from chair Kudsia Batool, TUC Head of Equalities, and a panel that set the scene for the day’s discussions, with Margaret Greer, Unison National Equality Officer, Dean Pounder FBU North East Region, Shavanah Taj Wales TUC general secreatry and Riz Hussein from the TUC’s Anti Racist Taskforce.
With the conference coming just days after the strike by 500,000 trade unionists on 1 February, one theme that emerged in the discussion was how the challenge of building anti racism in every workplace could be connected and strengthened through the action unions are taking to respond to the cost of living crisis.
Each of the three workshops was packed out in the break out rooms at SOAS, with similar numbers online to those in each room. Many unions had good delegations present, including via Equalities networks and through union branches and workplaces.
Opposing Institutional Racism In Our Workplaces and Communities
A powerful and exuberant session covered the many aspects of deeply rooted institutional racism, from how the pay gap affects black and ethnic minority (global majority) workers, to challenging the ideology of the police. Moving and sharp contributions from Mr Kaba, father of Chris Kaba, and Sukhdev Reel, mother of Ricky Reel, brought home institutional police racism and violence as a systematic reality. Belly Mujinga’s lawyer, Lawrence Davies, laid out a serious case exposing the systematic nature of racism. National officer of the NEU and UCU Black Members Committee chair Juliana Ojinnaka’s contribution sparked a lively focused discussion on institutional racism in education, while the issue of the racist hostile environment emerged with the scandal of Windrush injustice rearing its ugly head again, revealing another aspect of the government’s marked determination to intensify racism. Outcomes included a follow up conference for the Black Child, and a statement campaign on Windrush, as well as mobilising for a bloc on the #RESISTRACISM marches on 18 March that highlight the need to fight Institutional racism and police violence.
#StopRwanda Refugees Welcome – Don’t let scapegoating divide us
With over 100 in the #StopRwanda Refugees Welcome workshop, the session heard from PCS national executive representative Hector Wesley, Care4Calais CEO Clare Moseley, Hazar, mother of Hussein from the Hussein Must Stay campaign, FBU firefighter and Seawatch rescuer Brendan Woodhouse, Rogelio Braga from Status Now, Shabbir Lakha from Stop the War and Alex Penton from Extinction Rebellion.
The discussion was lively and determined, with several PCS activists reflecting the combatative role that unions can play in the anti racist struggle against the government’s racist hostile environment, as well as other contributions breaking down the myths that are pedalled to scapegoat refugees and migrants.
Whether the issue of imperialist wars or climate chaos, broader questions and how they create refugees who are then subjected to racist hostile environments and Fortress Europe or Fortress Britain borders policies was also a theme.
In the outcomes for the workshop, there was a pledge to mobilise again, as was done successfully with unions at the heart of a broad and united coalition, to #StopRwanda deportations, as the Care4Calais and PCS legal team push to appeal the court decision that the policy is lawful. Crucially, building for unions to deliver big delegations onto the 18 March #RESISTRACISM demonstrations in London, Glasgow and Caridiff with refugees welcome blocs and trade unions and strikers leading the front of the marches alongside refugees saying we reject the politics of divide and rule, is a key focus in the coming weeks.
Halting the Rise of the Far Right
Anti fascists also packed into the workshop on Halting the Rise of the Far Right, chaired by TUC Equality Officer Wilf Sullivan. The panel was joined by Sergio Bassoli from the CGIL Italian General Union Federation, who talked about building opposition to fascist Meloni and her Brothers of Italy. Médb McDaid from Trademark reflected on their research for strategies for opposing the far right and touched on the recent worrying anti refugee mobilisations in Ireland. Ash Silverstone from Shropshire & Telford Trades Council who has been at the forefront of ensuring trade unions are at the heart of opposition to fascist Tommy Robinson’s repeated attempts to spread hate in Telford.
Nahella Ashraf from Stand Up To Racism who brought in the experience of taking on the emerging attempts by fascists in Britain First and Patriotic Alternative which are clearly making push off the back of hone secretary Suella Braverman and Rishi Sunak’s scapegoating of refugees, with a wave of anti refugee actions and now interventions in the May elections. The following day, Sunday 5 February, Stand Up To Racism reported outnumbering the fascists on a counter protest to their attempt to divide the community in Erskine.
Ash Silvertone from Telford Trades Council and Nahella Ashraf made really important contributions about the campaigns against Tommy Robinson and the lessons we can apply in the coming weeks.
The workshop also clarified that some of the mobilisations around refugees are not organised by fascists – although these forces are trying to get to the centre of the movement. The discussion drew out how have to try to split off the ‘fascist’ hard core – this is precisely what happened this weekend in Erskine Scotland where the initial demo was called off and the fascists went ahead.
The workshop also looked at how so far in Britain anti fascist and anti racist movements have broken attempts made by the fascists to establish mass movements, from the National Front, British National Party and English Defence Leagues – and more recently moves to establish mass right wing street movements through the Football Lads and Democratic Football Lads Alliances. The united front of labour and trade union and campaign groups brought together in the Anti Nazi League, Unite Against Fascism and now Stand Up To Racism which has proved very effective – but there is no room for complacency.
The workshop underlined how the #ResistRacism demos on Saturday 18 March – alongside organising against the fascists where ever they raise their heads – is at the centre of mobilising the anti racist and anti fascist majority to make sure the fascists don’t get a foot hold again.
The closing plenary drew together all the threads of the day’s discussion and with an impressive line up of unions pledging their support for UN Anti Racism Day demonstrations on 18 March which will take place as part of the international day of protest coordinated by World Against Racism & Fascism.
The session was led by Taranjit Chana GMB activist and Wilf Sullivan TUC Race Equality Officer, and speakers included leaders from striking unions Kevin Courtney NEU general secretary, Mark Serwotka PCS general secretary and Mick Whelan ASLEF general secretary, alongside CWU national executive representative Ian Taylor, Unite regional secretary Paresh Patel, Amarjite Singh of Wales TUC, Sabby Dhalu and Weyman Bennett Stand Up To Racism co convenors, GMB activist and health worker Esme Choonara.
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CONFERENCE OUTCOMES
- Stand Up To Racism will be launching a campaigning statement – mobilising for the RESIST RACISM demonstrations in London, Glasgow and Cardiff for UN Anti Racism Day 2023, part of the internationally coordinated World Against Racism & Fascism mobilisations.
- The statement will also include taking up the demand for Justice for Windrush and an enquiry.
- 24 February & 9 March: days of action (with major union led Twitterstorm on 9 March) to build for the M18 demonstrations
- Supporting and promoting the Care4Calais and PCS union policy document demanding safe passage visas, and a pledge for unions to mobilise for any future #StopRwanda key dates around the legal appeal.
- Developing blocs for the demonstrations
- Organising the educational trip to Auschwitz, and building active campaigns wherever fascists such as Britain First are standing (so far Salford and Dartford)
- To be part of organising and supporting a further Conference for the Black Child in 2023