Doreen Lawrence and Chuka Umunna MP to address TUC Black Workers Conference

date: 24 April 2012

embargo: For immediate release

Doreen Lawrence and Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna MP will be among the keynote speakers at the TUC Black Workers Conference 2012 which starts this Friday (27 April).

The conference, which takes place between Friday 27 April and Sunday 29 April at TUC headquarters in central London, will also include General Secretary Brendan Barber's first TUC conference speech since announcing that he is to retire at the end of the year.

A key topic for debate at this year's event will be the lessons that can be learned from last summer's riots. While condemning the violence and damage to property that took place, the conference will debate the wider causes of the riots, as well as voicing their opposition to attempts by far right groups to use the disturbances as an excuse to attack multiculturalism and race relations in the UK.

Other topics for debate include the impact of the cuts on black workers and services used by black and Asian communities, concerns about the under-representation of black youngsters in apprenticeship schemes and the glass ceiling that leaves black workers under-represented in senior positions across the public and private sectors.

Journalists wishing to attend the conference should register with the TUC press office beforehand to obtain a press pass.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The TUC Black Workers Conference takes place between 2pm on Friday 27 April and 1pm on Sunday 29 April at Congress House, Great Russell Street London WC1B 3LS.

- Doreen Lawrence, Chuka Umunna MP and Brendan Barber will address the conference during the Friday afternoon session (2pm-5.30pm).

- Other conference speakers over the weekend include Claudia Menne from the European Trade Union Confederation (Saturday morning) and Orin Lewis from the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (Saturday afternoon).

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk