Being a Black union workplace ‘rep’ is empowering Senior figures explain why the role is so important, and why more of us should get involved by richardsudan
THE COST of living crisis is skyrocketing, disproportionately devastating Black communities across the country.
He follows Dr Patrick Roach of the NASUWT, Maheta Molango of the PFA, and famously the trailblazer Bill Morris, who led the TGWU before retiring and being made a peer. Glen Hart, currently an officer at transport union RMT, and a former union rep, outlined the value union reps bring to the table.“In the majority of workplaces where we organise, Black and minority communities are quite over represented. People feel more comfortable talking to someone who can understand their experience.
“They would just roll their eyes and didn’t want to hear it. But things are changing now. People are becoming more understanding of the issues and it’s because now we have more reps with that shared experience.”Hart, who has been active in trade unions for 25 years, and worked on London Underground, elaborated on the kind of battles that can be fought – and won – as a union rep, supporting workers taking on employers – even giants like TfL.
Abena Louisa St Bartholomew-Brown Morgan is a rep for the Film Artistes Association, a subdivision of BECTU, a union for people working in the entertainment sector. Ultimately, the only strength workers have, particularly Black workers, is strength in numbers. Organising effectively to fight injustice is the only smart way forward.
“It’s about developing individual talent and skills and seeking out the opportunities. While these organisations might seem abstract to some, this is the very reason why more of us need to take up the mantle. “We have workplaces which are very diverse, so the reps should reflect the diversity of the workplace that they’re trying to represent.”
Abrams highlighted the urgency for ‘BAEM’ communities to seize positions of empowerment, which can make a difference in the lives of workers, when unified and bargaining collectively. “If someone gets instantly sacked, I can work to get that person to win their appeal. For me there’s not many better things I can do than get that reversed and get the person back in the workplace. People can get great satisfaction from that kind of thing but it can’t get done if you’re not a rep.”
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