Black members continue to face disparity in rates of pay and UNISON must continue to fight for equality.
Members spoke passionately about their personal experience of the issues they face in their workplaces with pay inequality. With many first time speakers ensuring that they spoke on this important motion, reminding us that there is still a huge amount of work to be done to get pay parity and close the ethnicity pay gap.
Chinny Oreagbo SEPA Branch spoke in support of the motion advising members that “the latest estimate from the Scottish Government shows that Scotlands Ethnicity Pay gap was 10.3% in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017…..you get the point.”
She added, “Conference, Equality is UNISON Business, this isn’t equality. This is an injustice netted two a group of people because of the colour of their skin.”
Kay McKerrell Orkney Branch said, ”We know that members find it hard to get jobs we know that housing is an issue and that is particularly hard for Black Members.
“I was lucky, I went for interview for a senior position and when the call came they started to speak and my heart fell, I knew I hadn’t been successful, but they did tell me there is a senior management position coming up and they wanted me to apply for that, and I was successful. Next time I’m here I hope to be speaking to you as managing directer.
“We need you understand what’s happening in the ethnicity pay gap and we need you to take that out there. Not all employers are the same and we need to get out and fight for equality”