Statement on behalf of Black Members in the East Midlands Region from the Co Chairs of the RBMC about the Government Race Commission Report: “Marlene Blake and Gilly Anglin-Jarrett as Co Chairs of our Regional Black Members Committee (RBMC) we wanted to issue our combined view of the recently published Government Race Commission Report. The RBMC will continue leading and working in partnership with the RMT, Convenor Group and all 54 branches to ensure our uncomfortable conversation about racism in the workplace is adopted across the whole region.
The survey has provided us with the evidence that Black Members have and continue to suffer on a daily basis in their workplaces racism, our campaign is not only a significant opportunity to develop Branch Black Members Self Organised Groups but it’s also focused on supporting our fellow White Members to become confident as both reps in their workplaces on the issues of racism but we will all work together to give them the confidence to have that uncomfortable conversation with their colleagues who look like them.
We are very proud that our region is leading the way on a positive and essential campaign that will help all our branches to recruit more Black Members and also increase the level of White Members who become workplace representatives too.
The Government Race Commission Report will not deter us from our campaign and we are committed to linking our activities with the Health Service Group Branches Race Equality campaign too. We will be successful because our Regional Secretary Chris Jenkinson, the whole Regional Staffing Structures and the Convenor Group, are in full support and equally committed to working in partnership with the RBMC and all our Branches.
Our uncomfortable conversation campaign is needed even more due to the shameful denial of institutional racism, but it will give us strength and solidarity to support employers to become institutionally inclusive. We want to thank all our fellow White Members for becoming part of a organised approach to challenging racism in all our workplaces where it’s happening. UNISON East Midlands leading the way.” Gilly Anglin-Jarrett and Marlene Blake, Co Chairs of the RBMC.