The TUC is putting anti-racism at the heart of its work
In 2020, the TUC formed the Anti-Racism Taskforce (ARTF) reset the trade union movements response to racism. The ARTF set out to learn from and engage with BME workers across the UK, and to produce recommendations on how to tackle structural racism, both within unions themselves, and in workplaces across the country.
Establishing the anti-racism taskforce
A key output was the anti-racist network. This network emerged to focus bringing together stakeholders to develop anti-racist campaigns across the UK. The network met against a backdrop of intensification of racist narratives in public discourse, fierce racist legislation, and the attack on trade union rights and civil liberties.
Confronting the hostile environment
During the tenure of the outgoing Conservative government, we witnessed prominent ministers incessantly stoking hostile political narratives around issues of race, migration and asylum.
The Conservative government also set in motion the hostile environment, a set of policies designed to restrict access to services and make life more difficult for migrants and asylum seekers in the UK.
This led to an increase in immigration raids, which spread fear and divided communities, and compelled landlords, doctors and teachers to check people’s immigration status. One of the most egregious examples of the hostile environment was the Windrush Scandal, which first emerged in 2017 when it was revealed that thousands of people, most of whom had spent their entire lives in the UK, were falsely deemed to be ‘illegal immigrants’ and were stripped of their rights. Others faced deportation from the UK.
Because of this the union movement has adopted a holistic and intersectional approach to analysing and combatting racism — one that explores interconnections between class, race and gender —and which also analyses racism with an international perspective.
Addressing the rise of far-right movements
We are currently facing a resurgence of far-right in the UK, globally and across much of Europe, as evidenced by the rapid growth of political parties such as the AfD (Alternative for Germany), the Rassemblement National in France, the Party of Freedom (PVV) in the Netherlands and the Freedom Party of Austria. As well as the rise of far-right riots in the UK late summer of 2024.
The TUC anti-racist network meeting on 4 December
The TUC anti-racist network next meets on the 4 December. It will focus on migrant workers’ rights, tackling structural racism in the labour market, and connecting international struggles and solidarity.
Key sessions will include looking at how we tackle structural racism within workplaces and the role of trade unions in helping to do this.
With a new government prioritising the ‘Make Work Pay’ agenda and affiliates focusing on delivering the Employment Rights BIll, we will be discussing how we can claim rights for migrant workers, combat discrimination and reshape the narrative on migration.
We’ll be running practical workshops about equipping trade unionists with proven digital strategies to identify worker grievances, connect similar struggles, and build effective campaigns. As well as delving into the language around migrants, including refugees, and look at how racism shapes the idea of who is ‘welcome’ in the UK.
We’ll be outlining the TUC campaign on Our Work Matters where we are fighting for better pay and conditions and an end to the scourge of outsourcing which discriminates systematically against BME workers.
And we’ll be ending the day discussing Amazon workers taking historic strike action for union recognition and fair wages and the trade union’s organising tactics with BME and migrant workers.
Join the TUC Racial Justice and Equality Conference
The TUC Racial Justice and Equality Conference is taking place on Wednesday 4 December 2024.
Trade unionists, anti-racist organisations and community groups and all who are committed to advancing racial justice and equality in workplaces and communities are warmly invited to take part.
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