NASUWT Teachers’ Union - Black Staff Forum

An initial questionnaire sent to all Black staff in 2019 provided the basis for establishing information on the experiences of Black staff within the workplace. This determined whether there was evidence of a climate or atmosphere of racism, racial prejudice and hostility towards Black staff within the NASUWT workplace. Since then, the Forum has gone from strength to strength, as a key body endorsed by the National Executive for driving forward the Union's anti-racism agenda and priorities.

The Union has seen positive changes to the experiences of Black staff and this evidence is borne out in two further surveys in 2022 and 2023, where Black staff have reported significant improvements to their working experience.

The BSF has secured the following actions since it was first established in 2019:

• Design and production of a series of anti-Racism posters outlining the Union’s commitment to zero tolerance of racist abuse and harassment in the workplace (see attached);
• Contribution to the provision of an online and independent safe reporting process for incidences of harassment, abuse and discrimination for all staff, together with a dedicated mailbox for internal reporting.
• Regular consultative meetings with Black Staff to review the Union’s progress on the TUC and NASUWT Anti-Racism Action Plans;
• Consultation on new updated guidelines on acceptable conduct of staff and lay members;
• Mandatory race equality training for all line managers;
• A race equality impact review of our recruitment and selection processes
• Mandatory equalities training for the National Executive Committee as well as the chairs of all staff appointments panels
• Publication of annual race pay gap reports, alongside the gender pay gap report

A Conference motion adopted by the NASUWT in 2021 on Securing Racial Justice and Anti-Racism at work, endorsed the continued work of the Union to give voice to the everyday Racism Black members and staff experience in the workplace and to eradicate racial disparities within the Union’s structures. The BSF will continue to be consulted on progress of the Union’s commitments to the TUC Anti-Racism Manifesto as well its Anti-Racism Action Plan.