UNISON Cymru/Wales launched its Year Of Black Workers 2023 campaign today.

The public service union campaign will require all sections of the union to challenge systemic racism and use a race discrimination protocol to enable black members to gain legal redress against workplace racism.

Wales black members’ committee chairman Kebba Manneh said: “This campaign highlights the barriers of racism black workers face while focusing on measures to dismantle discrimination and race inequality.

“The year of black workers campaign promotes and requires all sections of Unison to better challenge systemic racism.”

The union’s branches will be able to use an ethnicity pay gap toolkit to force employers to implement mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting. 

Unison’s campaign also plans to develop a legacy of activism to challenge the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, tackle modern-day slavery and promote the teaching of black history as part of the curriculum.

Unison Cymru/Wales regional secretary Dominic MacAskill said: “Systemic racism means that black workers are not having opportunities to move up pay scales, get promoted or work in sectors with high pay rates.

“Unison has a vital role to play in challenging these issues and it is an honour for us to launch our Year of Black Workers campaign here in Cardiff.

Wales TUC general secretary Shavanah Taj said: “Trade unions must build visible campaigns that tackle the core of racism in the labour market and create better working conditions for black workers.

“Unions must also lead by example and create safe, inclusive spaces for black union reps and union officials and actively work to eliminate institutional barriers and blockages that have resulted in the lack of diversity in their unions at all levels.”