Austerity and Equality in Multicultural Britain

Transcription

1 Austerity and Equaity in Muticutura Britain EQUALITY CAMPAIGN PACK

2 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN CONTENTS SECTION 1 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION 03 n Introduction 03 n Five steps to hep safeguard equaity 04 n UCU equaity scheme 05 n Equaity issues facing UCU members 07 n Campaigning for back members 09 n Campaigning against racism and fascism 09 n Reigious attire poicy 10 n Campaigning for disabiity equaity 12 n Campaigning for esbian and gay rights at work 12 n Campaigning for gender equaity 14 n Affiiations 16 SECTION 2 TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING 18 n Empoyment rights 18 n Protecting trade union rights 20 n Reform of the Equaity and Human Rights Commission 21 n Equaity Act 2010: 23 Review of the Pubic Sector Equaity Duty SECTION 3 TIME FOR ACTION 33 n UCU Buid the Union 34 n Equaity organising and networking 36 n Becoming a UCU equaity officer 39 n Mode austerity motion 40 n How are the cuts affecting you? 41 n Equaity resources 42 n Five things you can do to campaign against 44 fascism and racism n The Stephen Lawrence Charitabe Trust 45 n Community action groups and other campaigns 47 SECTION 4 CONTACTS, LINKS AND BLOGS 49 n Contacts 49 n Links 51 n Bogs 52 n want UCU to advance equaity by... 53

3 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION 1University and Coege Union This section detais our commitment to equaity and to the issues identified by our members INTRODUCTION UCU has a very strong tradition of pacing equaity at the heart of everything it does. UCU chaenges discrimination on a eves, formuates poicies and responds to consutations from a variety of stakehoders, incuding the Government. That is why equaity must not be seen as an add-on, but as an integra part of negotiating, bargaining and organising. Discrimination and victimisation takes pace regardess of age, disabiity, gender identity, race, reigion or beief, sex or sexua orientation, and our combined work heps to ensure that our coeges and universities are free from institutiona inequaity. Issues of equaity affect us a. This is especiay true during the current economic cimate as we see our empoyment rights being eroded on an amost daiy basis. Whie our members face severe attacks on their equaity and empoyment rights, now, more than ever is the time to act coectivey to ensure that a UCU members are protected from unfair empoyment practices, discrimination and victimisation in the workpace. We have produced this pack to hep strengthen you as an individua and your branch or oca association in campaigning, bargaining and negotiating for equaity at work and the wider society. UCU S commitment to equaity Whie our prime concern is to fight for greater equaity and to oppose a forms of harassment, prejudice and unfair discrimination at work, we recognise that this incudes the injustices that members face in a areas of their ives, whether on the 3

4 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN grounds of sex, race, ethnic or nationa origin, coour, cass, impairment or disabiity status, sexua orientation, gender identity, reigion or beief, age, socio-economic status, casuaisation or any other aspect of status or persona characteristic which can ead to discrimination. FIVE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO HELP SAFEGUARD EQUALITY AT YOUR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY ENCOURAGE CHANGES TO BEHAVIOUR AND CULTURE TO MAKE YOUR WORKPLACE MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL How to achieve it: Ensure that the poicies you have in pace protect the rights of workers and that they do not discriminate against individuas or groups. BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MEMBERS IN YOUR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY How to achieve it: Estabish groups to support women, back, disabed and LGBT members and ensure that concerns raised are discussed at branch/oca association meetings and, at the appropriate time, referred to your regiona officia/nationa officia. CONSTANTLY CHALLENGE UNFAIR PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES THAT HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON OUR MEMBERS How to achieve it: Workpace practices and procedures that have a detrimenta effect on our members require strong chaenges at the very eariest opportunity PROMOTE AND SHARE GOOD PRACTICE FOR EXAMPLE, NEGOTIATING IMPROVED CONDITIONS IN OUR WORKPLACES How to achieve it: We know that UCU branches/oca associations are doing fantastic work in ensuring that the working conditions of members are maintained and improved we want to share your success stories with other branches/oca associations so pease send your success story to us at eqadmin@ucu.org.uk SUPPORT THE WIDER TRADE UNION MOVEMENT, CAMPAIGNING ORGANISATIONS, COMMUNITY GROUPS TO ACHIEVE EQUALITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WORKING How to achieve it: Form inks with oca and nationa groups to push for a fairer more equa society. 4

5 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION UCU SINGLE EQUALITY SCHEME UCU Congress in 2007 and 2008 agreed to deveop and impement a comprehensive singe equaity scheme for the union with the fu invovement of UCU members. The scheme buids on UCU s existing commitment to equaity set out in our rue book and demonstrated through our structures and our actions. It is hoped that the overarching priorities (see beow) wi be broad enough to encapsuate the wide range of work UCU undertakes so wi further embed equaity into the mainstream activity of the union. The overarching priorities wi give a members and empoyees of UCU, a coective understanding of what we want to achieve on equaity and wi hep communicate that message to empoyers and other stakehoders incuding Government. The scheme can be viewed at and a review of the scheme has been undertaken and is outined beow. 1 Background 1.1 The UCU singe equaity scheme was aunched at Congress The UCU scheme is made up of a three year action pan and buids on UCU s existing commitment to equaity set out in our rue book and demonstrated through our structures and our actions. 1.2 The principes of the scheme were agreed as: UCU wi deveop a three year equaity scheme The scheme wi be comprehensive in scope going beyond the current pubic sector duties. It wi cover: age, impairment or disabiity status, gender, sexua orientation, race, nationa origin, reigion or beief, gender identity, socioeconomic status and casuaisation: agency work, fixed-term and houry-paid contracts. The scheme wi be outcome driven; with practica, reaistic and chaenging action pans. Outcomes wi be inked to the union s bargaining, campaigning and organising agenda outined in the Nationa Organising Pan The scheme wi be deveoped with the active invovement of a UCU members and staff. The scheme wi contain agreed mechanisms for monitoring and review. The scheme shoud not be a snap shot at a particuar moment. This shoud be an evoving process. 2 Setting the objectives Key themes emerged from action points submitted from nationa and regiona committees: 5

6 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN Equa pay audits Networking Equaity impact assessments/monitoring Campaigning /resources ie materias Audits Advice and guidance incuding newsetters Training Organising/recruiting Bargaining These issues have informed the overarching priorities which nationa and regiona committees coud support in the most effective way. For exampe: The action on equa pay audits has been prioritised by the nationa Higher Education Committee and Further Education Committee deveoping strategies for fu impementation of audits across a institutions. Scotand and the South region have aso prioritised taking this forward. The UCU campaign to raise awareness on the importance of using equaity impact assessments (EIAs) to chaenge redundancies is strongy refected in the priorities at nationa and regiona eve. Both the Higher Education Committee and Further Education Committee have raised the profie of EIAs and ensured that it is incuded as a too in redundancy training and advice as we as being raised with empoyers in negotiations. Regions are supporting these strategies by prioritising training on EIA s for branch activists. This work needs to continue with our work on the new Pubic Sector Equaity Duty. Increasing our activist base is supported we through priorities focused on deveoping equaity networks. This is a priority of the Equaity Committee and increasing the number of women activist and back women activists are priorities of the Women s Standing Committee and Back Members Standing Committee. Scotand and Northern, West Midands and Yorkshire and Humberside regions have aso prioritised equaity networks. 3 Overarching objectives Chaenging attacks on equaity issues reating to jobs, pay and pensions Promoting equaity of access to further and higher education jobs and services incuding equa pay, staff deveopment and promotion. Monitoring of impementation of nationa equaity agreements, the Equaity Act and branch negotiated oca improvements Increasing members skis and knowedge of equaity at work through training, seminars, conferences and events. Increasing the participation and visibiity of back members, disabed members, LGBT members and women members. 6

7 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION These overarching objectives support many of the current priorities but give coherence to what UCU wants to achieve for its members and for the education sector. EQUALITY ISSUES FACING UCU MEMBERS We have outined issues raised by UCU members through the four advisory equaity standing committees incuding the impact of austerity for these groups: BLACK WORKERS Issues raised by the Back Members Standing Committee Buiding networks across education unions/communities The impact of the government s austerity cuts on back workers Training and deveopment of UCU s back members Inequaities of the points-based immigration system for internationa students and academics Visibiity and representation in the workpace at senior eves The impact of the cuts The coaition government s austerity measures wi have an overwheming impact for back workers, of which the majority are empoyed in the pubic sector. Back unempoyment is at an a time high especiay among the young and access to higher education out of the reach of many gives a favour of the hurdes facing back workers. DISABLED WORKERS Issues raised by the Disabed Members Standing Committee Changes to Access to Work The impact of the government s austerity cuts on disabed workers Menta heath Reasonabe adjustments Achieving disabiity equaity in further and higher education Discosing a disabiity Visibiity of disabed workers The impact of the cuts Issues affecting disabed workers incude students who require additiona support for impairments such as dysexia and dyspraxia that often has ed to successfu educationa outcomes which in turn eads to job cuts as the service provision is reduced and/or removed. Cuts in provision of courses such as British Sign Language with no regard for equaity of access and meeting diverse needs. Thousands of peope wi aso be hit by the radica changes to wefare reform being introduced Apri

8 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN LGBT WORKERS Issues raised by the LGBT Members Standing Committee Sexua orientation and gender identity poicies The impact of the government s austerity cuts on LGBT workers Advancing LGBT equaity through training and organising LGBT visibiity and representation Promoting fair treatment in the workpace Chaenging homophobia and anti-transphobia at work The impact of the cuts The attacks on pubic service provision wi disproportionatey affect some LGBT peope who, due to the NHS reforms, wi continue to face difficuty in accessing vita heath services ie gender reassignment. In addition, young LGBT peope who are estranged from their famiies and are dependent on youth, housing and socia services. WOMEN WORKERS Issues raised by the Women Members Standing Committee Women and pensions The impact of the government s austerity cuts fexibe working for women workers Parenta eave Gender pay gap Vioence against women Women as carers Visibiity in the union The impact of the cuts Women are bearing the brunt of the austerity measures. For exampe, discrimination and unfair treatment arising from pregnancy, adoption and assisted conception, the denia of rights upon returning to work, unaffordabe chidcare, cuts to service provision for those affected by domestic vioence, rape and cuts to benefits affecting famiies wi a have a disproportionate impact on women workers. At a joint meeting of a equaity standing committees hed September 2012 the foowing recommendations were made: Equaity to have a high profie within recruitment drives, and equaity groups to be targeted. 8

9 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION Recruitment materias to ceebrate UCU s successes in equaity but aso to warn workers about the attacks on equaity and empoyment rights. UCU website to be reviewed to provide an option for members to update their monitoring detais and sef-identify. CAMPAIGNING FOR BLACK MEMBERS UCU uses the term back in a poitica sense to refer to peope who are descended, through one or both parents, from Africa, the Caribbean, Asia (the midde-east to China) and Latin America. It refers to those from a visibe minority who have a shared experience of oppression. The word is used to foster a sense of soidarity and empowerment. Back workers make up a arge part of UCU s membership. As of 2012, 7.5% of UCU s 122,386 members identify as being back or back and minority ethnic (BME), and they continue to face unique chaenges and barriers at work in further and higher education. The TUC reports that BME workers remain under-represented in both sectors, particuary in higher-eve posts. There is evidence that back workers have to work harder to get a job, face greater resistance to career progression, and continue to experience discrimination and racism at work from managers or coeagues. With the impact of the cuts, back and Asian workers are amost twice as ikey to be out of work as white workers, and pubic sector spending cuts coud see thousands more empoyees from ethnic minority backgrounds osing their jobs in the coming months we are aready seeing high eves of unempoyment amongst young BME peope. To assist our members, we have produced a Back Members' Surviva Guide providing vita information, advice and support to defend rights at work, progress careers and combat discrimination and racism in the workpace. The guide can be downoaded at For further information and materia about our work on equaity for back workers, pease visit CAMPAIGNING AGAINST RACISM AND FASCISM As a trade union, we oppose a forms of racism and fascism from individuas or groups and wi campaign vigorousy to ensure that the message of hate and division have no pace in our coeges and universities. There are many exampes of racist and fascist organisations trying to gain a patform in coeges and universities and with the tremendous eve of work being undertaken at oca eve by branches and oca associations, steps have been taken to prevent this from happening. However, as the government s austerity measures begin to bite we wi continue to see the ugy head of racism. 9

10 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN Sending out the right message: why we must continue to fight racism UCU, aongside anti-racist organisations, wi continue to campaign against racism within our society. Our principes ceary state that we stand firm with the trade union movement to oppose a forms of prejudice, harassment and oppression. Our rues set out this commitment to equaity, justice and the right to organise in defence of our members. We beieve that the doctrine of fascism represents the opposite of these vaues. Where we vaue diversity, fascist organisations seek to divide on the grounds of disabiity, gender, gender identity, race, reigion and sexua orientation. So, wherever and whenever you see or hear about a homophobic, Isamophobic, racist, anti-semitic or xenophobic attack, chaenge it! Together we can effect change. The foowing is a joint statement between UCU and the NUT on the British Nationa Party (BNP) however, it appies to other groups such as the Engish Defence League (EDL). UCU AND NUT STATEMENT ON THE BNP The poicies and positions of the BNP are incompatibe with the ethos and vaues of teaching. Racism and fascism are the antithesis of the aims of education which strives for the iberation of every earner's potentia, irrespective of age, cass, gender, disabiity, sexua orientation, race or reigion. In common with the mainstream poitica parties, NUT and UCU find the poicies of the BNP uttery unacceptabe. We ca on the government to take urgent action to ensure that racism and fascism have no pace in the cassroom or ecture ha, and to give consideration to making membership of the BNP incompatibe with registration as a quaified teacher or ecturer, in ine with poicy for the poice. Both unions find espousa of BNP poicies to be incompatibe with membership of our organisations. UCU s Equaity unit produces a newsetter for members interested in the fight against racism and fascism. If you woud ike to receive a copy, pease emai eqadmin@ucu.org.uk with join AF News in the subject header. Section 3 of this campaign pack detais our equaity resources avaiabe in this area. RELIGIOUS ATTIRE POLICY Foowing concerns that some institutions were excuding students through the banning of head-dress, the foowing motion was passed at Congress 2011: RELIGIOUS ATTIRE Congress notes the importance of peope of a faiths having the right to wear the reigious head-dress and other reigious attire appropriate to their faiths. 10 Congress aso notes the importance of the right to wear the appropriate dress in ensuring and increasing participation in further and higher education, and in enabing peope, particuary women, to access education at a eves, and cas on NEC to formuate a poicy which refects this.

11 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION In ight of increasing Isamophobia eg the French ban on wearing the vei, the Swiss ban on minarets, moves to outaw the burkha in various countries, and the aarming precedent of a UK coege prohibiting students from wearing the vei in coege, Congress resoves to work with the NUT, NUS, Unite Against Fascism and other anti-fascist organisations to: 1 hod a conference on fighting Isamophobia in education, and 2 produce an anti-isamophobia teaching pack. UCU has therefore formuated the foowing reigious attire poicy that has been approved by the Equaity Committee, and wi be shared with institutions. A report by the Equaity Chaenge Unit 1 entited, Reigion and beief in higher education: the experiences of staff and students noted that: 10% of students and 3.7% of staff identified that their reigion or beief required them to wear specific dress or symbos. The majority of those who indicated that they have dress requirements are Musim, Sikh and Jewish respondents. Members of staff and students fee that the campus is, in genera, a pace where individuas fee comfortabe wearing symbos and reigious dress. 85.6% of staff (118 respondents) indicated that they were abe to fufi their dress requirements without difficuty, and 79.3% of students (431 respondents) fee this to be the case. A greater proportion of femae staff (92.4%) and students (81.5%) fee abe to fufi their dress requirements compared with mae members of staff (77.1%) and students (76.9%). Source: Reigion and beief in higher education: the experiences of staff and students UCU wecomes the variety of appearance brought by individua styes and choices. The wearing of items arising from particuar cutura/reigious norms is seen as part of this wecome diversity. The ony imitations to the above may occur when: Heath and safety requirements may mean that for certain tasks specific items of cothing such as overas, protective cothing etc need to be worn. If such cothing produces a confict with an individua s beief the issue wi be sympatheticay considered by the ine manager with the aim of finding a satisfactory outcome. Cothing dispaying sogans which are discriminatory (eg racist or sexist sogans) causes offence. There are particuar egisative requirements. In Northern Ireand, dress or symbos that associate individuas with a particuar reigion or beief group are reguated. Items of cothing which may be reated to sectarianism woud be considered probematic and fa under the reguations ie footba shirts. In the case of dress or symbos associated with other minority reigion or beief groups, this is not an issue, and the dress code raises no specific issues about wearing other garments associated with minority reigions

12 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN Particuar educationa ceremonies or practices, such as graduation, require the wearing of traditiona outer garments. In such instances the institution woud be expected to ensure that the traditiona garb aows the wearer to fufi their cutura or reigious affiiations. Exam verification/identification may require institutions to conduct identity checks. Such checks must aways be discreet and conducted in a manner which respects the reigious, socia or cutura norms of the individua Branches and oca associations are asked to note this poicy and raise it if it is an issue in their institution. CAMPAIGNING FOR DISABILITY EQUALITY UCU is proud to be a eader in the fied of disabiity within the trade union movement and supports the socia mode of disabiity which states that it is the way society organises that creates barriers to incusions and prevents disabed peope from taking an equa part in ife. This mode underpins a the work that we do in the area of disabiity equaity. In the workpace, the proportion of disabed peope who can work but who are out of work remains stubborny at twice the rate for non-disabed peope, and the proportion of disabed peope iving their ives in poverty remains unacceptaby high. The beak overa statistics concea the even worse reaity that for many groups of disabed peope, such as peope with visua impairments or with menta heath issues, the unempoyment rates are much higher sti. Disabed peope face disadvantage and discrimination from the moment they identify as disabed. They face it at work, and in finding work in the first pace, but even before then they face it in education and training. UCU members are extremey proactive in promoting and campaigning for equaity for disabed members within the union and wider society through our pubications such as discosing a disabiity, menta heath guidance and advice, reasonabe adjustments in the workpace, disabiity reated harassment to promoting and ceebrating the achievements of disabed peope to name a few. For further information and for materias about our work on disabiity equaity, pease visit CAMPAIGNING FOR LESBIAN AND GAY RIGHTS AT WORK UCU campaigns for equaity for esbian, gay, bisexua and transgender (LGBT) members who face discrimination, victimisation and harassment in the workpace and wider society. The extension of rights through protected characteristics egisation may go some way toward achieving equaity, and it is through our campaigning work, education and training that we strive to chaenge prejudice and hostiity experienced by our many LGBT members. UCU has produced a number of guidance documents to support LGBT members at work; these can be found at 12

13 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION UCU is an active supporter of Prides hed across the UK to ceebrate the positive stance against discrimination and vioence toward LGBT peope as we as supporting and promoting LGBT History Month. Internationa Day against Homophobia and Transphobia May 17 was chosen because the date is the anniversary of the Word Heath Organisation s May 1990 decision to remove homosexuaity from its ist of menta disorders. This victory of the esbian-gay-bisexua and transgender (LGBT) cause was a historic step towards considering freedom of sexua orientation and gender identity as a fundamenta human right. Education Internationa (EI), to which UCU is affiiated, issued a statement (beow) to promote the rights of a citizens to ive freey their preferred gender and sexua orientation. EI aso endorsed an internationa appea to UN agencies and heads of state, caing for the rejection of homophobia and for respect towards gender identity. EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL S STATEMENT Prejudice and myths are buit upon ignorance. Education has a crucia roe in ensuring equaity of opportunity for a, independent of race, ethnicity, economic status, anguage, reigion, socia origin, sexua orientation and gender identity. On the Internationa Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, EI reaffirms the principe of non discrimination and cas a education unions to take concrete actions to prevent a forms of discrimination, incuding but not imited to, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and intoerance, within unions, at work and in the education sector. The victims of buying and discrimination, incuding that based on sexua identity and sexua orientation, are more ikey to eave their jobs or move to another schoo. Reports and studies show that student victims of harassment or homophobic buying are more ike to drop out of schoo. Lega protection against harassment and/or discrimination based on the sexua orientation in educationa settings is receiving more attention. The cases reated to discrimination based on gender identity and orientation are under-reported. Additionay there are countries that criminaise homosexuaity. Others prohibit or imit the discussion and recognition of esbian, gay, bisexua and transgender peope and their famiies in schoos. In 2008, EI wecomed the UN statement on Human Rights, Sexua orientation and Gender Identity endorsed by 66 member states, from a regions. The statement condemns human rights vioations based on sexua orientation and gender identity wherever they occur. EI beieves that education and quaified teachers pay an important roe in enabing society to create schoo environments where every student can earn. On the Internationa Day against Homophobia, EI invites a its affiiates to read, endorse and distribute the appea to the United Nations, the Word Heath Organisation and the heads of states. 13

14 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN CAMPAIGNING FOR GENDER EQUALITY UCU campaigns for gender equaity, abortion rights (the right for women to choose), equa pay (sti a way to go since the 1970 Equa Pay Act), parenta/famiy friendy eave, equaity of representation and against vioence against women. The foowing extract from A charter for women (endorsed by UCU) summarises our campaign for gender equaity. For further information and materia about our work on gender equaity, pease visit A CHARTER FOR WOMEN Women constitute haf the working popuation in Britain and yet the gap between men s and women s earnings is widening despite the fact that girs perform better than boys in pubic examinations. (55% of girs gain five or more A-C grades at GCSE compared with 44% of boys.) Women over 21 have had the right to vote since 1928 and yet ony 27% of oca authority counciors are women, 18% of a MPs and 24% of MEPs are women. In the home, up to one in 10 women experience domestic vioence each year, one in four wi experience this type of abuse at some point in their ifetime. An incident of domestic vioence takes pace in Britain every six to 20 seconds. The oppression of women is consistenty denied or triviaised by the mass media and the state. New Labour caims that they have made great progress to equaise opportunity for women the facts do not bear this out. On the eft, there is a tendency to subsume women s issues within the genera cass strugge, or to reegate them to a secondary position. The right have aways triviaised or ignored our concerns. Women s membership of trade unions is rising. However, women are not represented in proportion to their numbers within the trade unions. The position for back women is even worse. Women have aways fought for their ong-denied rights; we must do so again. We hope to inspire a new and incusive sociaist feminist theory and practice that wi motivate a new generation of women activists and revitaise the fight for women s iberation. One of the ways of doing this is to unite around a campaigning programme. This is the purpose of the Charter for Women. It does not offer new poicy but instead seeks to bring together the key demands for which progressive women are fighting in various arenas. The charter covers three broad areas, socia poicy, the abour market and the abour movement. It raises the main progressive concerns/campaigning points under each heading. We want it to be discussed, adopted and promoted by a progressive women s groups and organisations. For us the price of progress is eterna vigiance we must ensure that women s demands are heard and acted on. 14

15 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION Poster produced for the TUC Women s Conference highighting the impact of austerity 15

16 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN AFFILIATIONS UCU works in partnership with a number of trade unions on campaigning issues that are important to UCU. As part of our wider work, we aso affiiate to a number of organisations to aid, advance and promote work in the fied of equaity. UCU affiiates with the foowing equaity organisations: Charter for Women The Charter for Women aims to work across the abour and women s movements to pubicise the charter, engage in debate, chaenge bad practise and oppose oppression of women and chidren. Through this work we seek to bring about positive and progressive change for women and recognition of the inequaity and oppression that women sti face at home, at work and in wider society. Disabiity History Month Disabiity History Month is a positive proactive organisation which brings together the very diverse disabed peope s community incuding unions. End Vioence Against Women End Vioence Against Women is a unique coaition of organisations and individuas campaigning to end a forms of vioence against women. It was set up in 2005 when women's organisations and others came together to obby the government to take a more strategic approach to ending vioence against women. They continue to obby a eves of government in the UK, and chaenge the wider cutura attitudes that condone vioence against women Fawcett Society The Fawcett Society is the UK s eading campaign for equaity between women and men. Where there's an inequaity gap between women and men, The Fawcett Society is working to cose it. The Fawcett Society is an immensey usefu source of research and a eader in campaigning for women s equaity in this country. OBJECT OBJECT chaenges sex object cuture the sexua objectification of women through ads magazines, ap dancing cubs or sexist advertising. Object is an award-winning organisation that uniquey combines successfu poitica obbying with grass roots campaigning. Schoo s OUT Schoo s OUT is a membership-based organisation that began ife as The Gay Teachers Association in Its overarching goa is to make schoos and educationa institutions safe spaces for our esbian, gay, bisexua and trans (LGBT) communities as teachers, ecturers and trainers; as pupis and students; as parents; as teaching and earning support staff; as site-officers, catering and ceaning staff; and as head teachers, managers and governors. 16

17 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION Stonewa Stonewa was founded in 1989 by a sma group of women and men who had been active in the strugge against Section 28 of the Loca Government Act. The aim from the outset was to create a professiona obbying group that woud prevent such attacks on esbians, gay men and bisexuas from ever occurring again. Stonewa has subsequenty put the case for equaity on the mainstream poitica agenda by winning support within a the main poitica parties and now has offices in Engand, Scotand and Waes. The Age in Empoyment Network The Age in Empoyment Network is an independent not-for-profit organisation whose goa is to hep remove age barriers to empoyment. They inform and advocate for effective age management poicies to be adopted at a eves in empoying organisations, by individuas and across the abour market. They do this by promoting the best, most forward-ooking practices in human capita management, particuary those aimed at maintaining heath, optimising work design, panning and deivery earning, and changing the structure of careers. Trade Union Disabiity Aiance The Trade Union Disabiity Aiance pays an important roe in bringing together disabed members in trade unions at a time when they are under attack in and out of work. Trade Union Friends of Searchight An arm of Hope not Hate mobiises everyone opposed to the BNP and EDL s poitics of hate. It was formed in 2004 as a positive antidote to the BNP and has the support of the Daiy Mirror, trade unions, ceebrities and community groups across the country. Unite Against Fascism Unite against fascism was formed in ate 2003 in response to eectora successes by the BNP. It began as a coaition that incuded the Anti-Nazi League, the Nationa Assemby Against Racism, the Trades Union Congress and eading British unions. 17

18 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN 2 Times, they are a-changing This section detais some of the government changes and reviews to equaity and empoyment rights EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS The Red Tape Chaenge The Red Tape Chaenge 2 website was set up by the Coaition government in Apri 2011 to chaenge the pubic to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy where it exists and consider aternatives to egisation in a number of areas incuding heath and safety, environment and empoyment-reated aw. In response to a number of government consutations, UCU aong with the wider trade union movement voiced concerns about the proposed changes. Proposed changes to empoyment rights woud come into effect on different dates and incude: Rights to unfair dismissa protection Changes in Apri 2012 which mean any empoyee, whose empoyment commenced after 6 Apri 2012, wi not accrue the rights to caim unfair dismissa for two years. Compensatory award Reduction in the maximum compensatory award made for unfair dismissa. Changes incuded in the Enterprise and Reguatory Reform Act 2013 wi give the Secretary of State powers to reduce compensatory damages from their current eve of 72,300. Questionnaires Remova of statutory discrimination questionnaires used to estabish if a caimant has a good caim of discrimination against them. Without prejudice The remova of the without prejudice rue that aowed empoyer and empoyee to negotiate freey through soicitors or trade union representatives

19 TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING Third-party harassment Empoyees wi no onger be protected in aw 3 from repeated racia, sexist, homophobic or other prejudice-based harassment of staff by third parties ike service users, students, customers or cients, where the empoyer has faied to take reasonabe steps to protect them. Hearings Changes in Apri 2012 now mean that ordinary unfair dismissa cases wi be heard by an empoyment tribuna (ET) judge rather than by a pane of ay members. Fees Caimants to pay issuing and hearing fees before their ETs can be heard. Empoyment tribunas Empoyment tribunas no onger abe to recommend that an empoyer who is found guity of unawfu discrimination take specific steps to prevent others suffering simiar treatment as mentioned in the Queen s speech, May The Enterprise and Reguatory Reform Act 2013 The changes to the areas mentioned wi appear in the Enterprise and Reguatory Reform Act 2013 which wi incude changes to the reform of the Equaity and Human Rights Commission see page 21. The purpose of the Act is to: make provision about the UK Green Investment Bank make provision about empoyment aw estabish and make provision about the Competition and Markets Authority aboish the Competition Commission and the Office of Fair Trading amend the Competition Act 1998 and the Enterprise Act 2002 make provision for the reduction of egisative burdens; to make provision about copyright and rights in performances make provision about payments to company directors. The act received Roya Assent on 25 Apri 2013 and the foowing empoyment provisions wi come into force on 25 June 2013: ensuring that the two-year quaification period for empoyment wi not appy where the main reason for dismissa is the empoyee s poitica opinions or affiiation simpifying the procedures and costs of deciding tribuna cases new provisions on whistebowing. 3 Some oca poicies wi incude this 19

20 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN It remains uncear when the fees around empoyment tribunas wi come into force with the best assessment being either October 2013 or possiby Apri The Fees Order has been pubished and can be viewed at: The Department of Business, Innovation and Skis wi pubish a detaied timetabe in due course. On 6 Apri 2013, changes affecting the way coective redundancies are handed came into effect. These incude: The reduction in the minimum consutation period where an empoyer proposes 100 or more redundancies at one estabishment within 90 days. The minimum consutation period fas from 90 to 45 days. Pease note that the change ony affects cases where the empoyer s proposa is made after 6 Apri 2013 (so expect penty of chaenges as to whether the od or new aw appies depending on when the proposa was, or shoud have been, made). The scope of the coective redundancy consutation rues is aso amended so as to excude the expiry of fixed-term contracts from the cacuation of the number of redundancies taking pace in the reevant period. In addition, as from 6 Apri 2013, statutory maternity pay (SMP) wi increase to and statutory sick pay wi increase to ACAS has produced guidance on how to manage coective redundancies at: PROTECTING TRADE UNION RIGHTS The attack on equaity is couped with the attacks on trade union rights in the workpace. UCU (and the wider trade union movement) is committed to ensure that our trade union rights are maintained. The Coaition government have, so far, have outined proposed changes that wi see: performance-reated pay for teachers commencing September 2013 a review of TUPE rights incuding: service provision changes empoyee iabiity information restrictions on changes to terms of conditions and protection against dismissa economic, technica or organisationa reasons for dismissa duty to consut and inform representatives 20

21 TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING aowing micro businesses to inform and consut empoyees directy regarding transfers, rather than through representatives, in cases where there is neither a recognised union nor existing representatives regiona pay system cuts to faciity time. Source: Institute of Empoyment Rights Coaition timeine The Institute of Empoyment Rights (IES) is a think tank for the abour movement and a charity. It exists to inform the debate around trade union rights and abour aw by providing information, critica anaysis, and poicy ideas through networks of academics, researchers and awyers. The IES has produced a timeine charting the introduction of poicies, the airing of proposas and the cas of Tory backbenchers and right-wing think tanks that have threatened the rights of UK workers since the Coaition took power. This is a vauabe resource too that heps you to keep track of the changes being imposed by the Coaition government. The timeine can be accessed at Groups such as the Trade Union Reform Campaign 4 have been instrumenta in infuencing government decisions to attack trade unions and associated activities. We must not, however, be defeated in our aim to chaenge and oppose changes to trade union rights. REFORM OF THE EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION The Equaity and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) was incuded in the government s Pubic Bodies bi the vehice through which the government gained extraordinary powers to modify or aboish a wide variety of non-departmenta pubic bodies without proper pariamentary debate. On 22 March 2011, the government aunched a consutation on its pans to reform the EHRC proposing changes to their statutory duties and functions as set out in the Equaity Act 2006 such as: ending its grants to charities or projects, disabiity groups and community organisations that are often the first port of ca for victims of discrimination and harassment. osing its regiona offices cosing its hepine to the pubic, business and the pubic sector reducing its ega enforcement abiity osing more than haf its workforce

22 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN Section 3: genera duty UCU having being mandated by Congress resoution 16: Save the Equaity and Human Rights Commission (UCU Congress 2012), has been ending support to the PCS union and Unite the Union, to save jobs and vita services of the EHRC. In particuar, section 3 of the Equaity Act 2006 was in urgent danger of being stripped away. Section 3 sets out the remit for the EHRC and states: The Commission sha exercise its functions under this Part with a view to encouraging and supporting the deveopment of a society in which (a) peope s abiity to achieve their potentia is not imited by prejudice or discrimination (b) there is respect for and protection of each individua s human rights (c) there is respect for the dignity and worth of each individua (d) each individua has an equa opportunity to participate in society, and (e) there is mutua respect between groups based on understanding and vauing of diversity and on shared respect for equaity and human rights. And now, for some good news! Foowing a campaign of trade unions, equaity organisations, grass roots groups and supportive MPs, the House of Lords defeated the government by 210 votes to 180 to retain section 3. The debate in the House of Lords heard an impassioned contribution from independent crossbencher Baroness Campbe of Surbiton, who moved the amendment to retain section 3. She said: The genera duty symboises our commitment to preventing the kind of injustice faced by the Lawrence famiy, or the routine abuse of disabed young peope in institutions because of indifference and cruety. It aspires to a society founded on dignity, respect and equaity notoriousy absent in these cases. However, contrary to what Ministers caim, the genera duty is not, in fact, merey symboic. Its repea coud have major impications for the commission s roe in monitoring equaity and human rights. Lord Loyd of Berwick (crossbench peer) said... the government have not given one singe soid reason why we shoud repea a provision that both Houses were in agreement on as recenty as Baroness Hussein-Ece (Libera Democrat peer) went further to say... for these reason I profoundy disagree with the government s reasoning that they wish to repea the genera duty that originated as part of their Red Tape Chaenge on the basis that it is a vague, unnecessary and obsoete provision from the Equaity Act This is not red tape, and it costs business nothing. Where is the evidence of that? It is about vision and about the mission, principes that matter and are important. We cannot risk siding back if we become compacent on these defining principes. We beieve the point was we made! 22

23 TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING Coud it be a coincidence that the decision to retain section 3 just happened to fa on the twentieth anniversary of Stephen Lawrence s murder and that the government, who had attended a memoria service earier that day, woud have had an extremey difficut job in expaining their reasons for its repea? Whatever the reason, we must not ose momentum and neither must we be compacent. Other areas of the Equaity Act 2006 set for repea and amendment are: Repea sections 10 and 19: Groups Section 10 imposes a duty on the Commission to promote good reations between members of different groups, and section 19, which gives the Commission powers Repeas section 27: Conciiation Repeas section 27, which enabes the Commission to make arrangements for the provision of conciiation in certain non-empoyment-reated disputes; and Amend Section 12: Monitoring progress Enabing the Commission to monitor and report every three years on progress in society reevant to the genera duty in section 3, incuding a requirement to monitor and report on changes and deveopments in society which are consistent with its duties in sections 8 (Equaity and diversity duties) and 9 (Human rights duties. It aso reduces the frequency with which the Commission is required to pubish a report on progress from every three to every five years. EQUALITY ACT 2010: REVIEW OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR EQUALITY DUTY On 15 May 2012, the government announced that it woud review the Pubic Sector Equaity Duty (PSED) to estabish whether the equaity duty in the Equaity Act 2010 is operating as intended. The review focused on: a) how we understood is the PSED and guidance b) what are the costs and benefits of the PSED c) how organisations are managing ega risk and ensuring compiance with the PSED and d) what changes, if any, woud ensure better equaity outcomes (eg egisative, administrative and/or enforcement changes). There was not a fu pubic consutation as part of this review instead, the government wi: operate a thematic desk-based review use evidence gathered from iterature and case aw speak to a number of EU countries to seek information about mainstreaming equaity invove the vountary and community sector, trade unions, awyers from a range of pubic bodies and equaity and diversity practitioners. 23

24 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN We have ony highighted a few areas of the review. To see the fu scope, incuding its terms of reference and membership of the steering group, pease visit In summary, UCU s concerns incude: The review is not ony premature but is taking pace within a short and i-conceived consutation process. The review shoud happen when it was originay panned in 2015 to aow the duty time to be impemented and monitored. This is because the sectors in which UCU organise are ony now adjusting to the new equaity duty and it wi be amost impossibe to gather evidence of impact in reation to the protected characteristics that have ony recenty been incuded. The review is being overseen by a steering group that acks any pubic service user or worker voice on it and no representation from the devoved administrations. The terms of reference were ony pubished at the end of November 2012 and the review concudes in June Trade unions experience of the equaity duty In November/December 2012 the TUC, together with the Labour Research Department, pubished an onine questionnaire to seek exampes and views from trade union workpace representatives and trade union officers on the effectiveness of the former equaity duties or the current equaity duty in S.149 of the Equaity Act A brief overview of UCU responses is shown beow: Information gathering and equaity anaysis Response: UCU Waes recenty had an issue with an equaity impact assessment (EIA) in reation to a redundancy exercise. In chaenging the EIA, UCU Waes worked directy with the diversity and equaity manager to create a process and guideines on the competion of EIAs. When the EIA was reconsidered, a number of issues in reation to modues were identified, incuding the discovery that the modues that were considered for cosure were mainy chosen by femae students, whie those that were safe traditionay recruited mainy mae students. Once this was identified, steps were taken to ensure that there was not a disproportionate effect on one gender. Better engagement Response: More engagement with LGBT community [a new group covered by the equaity duty in the Equaity Act 2010], and formation of new LGBT staff and student groups. Improved empoyment outcomes Response: UCU has supported and assisted the empoyer to draw up a reasonabe adjustment poicy in Apri 2011 but it has taken the empoyer 18 months to impement. What if the statutory duty did not exist? Response: We d have even ess everage to protect our members in protected groups. 24

25 TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING Response: Catastrophic for both users and staff. A step back to the dark ages with students and staff unprotected by the wider community. Response: [It woud] undermine the good work that is being done and has been done to ensure that workpaces and society do not discriminate either directy or indirecty. It is not possibe to have a quick win when it comes to chaenging systemic discrimination and therefore any duties shoud have an appropriate period of time to create the required cutura change around discrimination. Equaity shoud be a centra process that underpins a other work, it shoud not be a vountary or periphera add-on to the everyday work that organisations undertake. It is for these reasons that we are united with other trade unions, campaign groups and equaity organisations to retain the PSED. The TUC response to the review which incudes UCU members views can be seen at: IMPORTANT! We are reminded that a key intention of the equaity duty is to tacke institutiona discrimination and to mainstream equaity to ensure that our pubic services meet the needs of a in our communities. The roots ie in the Macpherson Inquiry findings and recommendations into the Metropoitan Poice Service s faiure to propery investigate and prosecute the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. The etters overeaf have been sent by UCU, the TUC, affiiates and equaity organisations, Mrs Doreen Lawrence OBE and Dr Richard Stone OBE, a voicing concerns about the review of the Pubic Sector Equaity Duty. 25

26 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN Say Hunt Genera secretary Carow Street London NW1 7LH Teephone Fax Emai 14 January 2013 Rt. Hon Maria Mier MP Secretary of State for Cuture, Media and Sport, and Minister for Women and Equaities DCMS 2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH Dear Maria Review of the Pubic Sector Equaity Duty I am writing to express my union s grave concern at the review of the pubic sector equaity duty. I have now seen the detais of how this review is going to take pace and have great concern that it wi not be an objective, transparent or thorough exercise. The review is not ony premature but is taking pace within a short and i-conceived consutation process. The review shoud happen when it was originay panned in 2015 to aow the duty time to be impemented and monitored. This is because the sectors in which UCU organise are ony now adjusting to the new equaity duty and it wi be amost impossibe to gather evidence of impact in reation to the protected characteristics that have ony recenty been incuded. UCU is concerned that this wi ead to a further diution of the intentions of the race equaity duty (and gender and disabiity duties). The current duty at its best shoud be an effective too for modern pubic services serving and empoying diverse communities. There is hardy any representation on the steering group of those whom the equaity duty is intended to benefit ony those who are meant to be hed to account by it. We are additionay concerned that there is no representative from the devoved administrations on the steering group to propery take account of the different frameworks that exist in Scotand and Waes and the impications for those nations of any recommendations that may come out of it. 26

27 TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING The timescae for carrying out the review is extremey tight. This does not insti confidence that there wi be proper efforts to gather and propery consider evidence incuding from trade unions. UCU urges you to hod a roundtabe of pubic sector trade unions to inform the review. Aso to ensure trade unions are invoved in any discussions hed with individua pubic sector organisations. UCU members have activey engaged with empoyers and sector bodies in using the duty. UCU is happy to hep organise any representation in the higher and further education sectors. UCU urges you to reconsider the time and the manner in which the review is being conducted. Yours sincerey Say Hunt Genera Secretary 27

28 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN Letter from trade unions to the chair and commissioners of the Equaity and Human Rights Commission Chair and Commissioners Equaity and Human Rights Commission 3 More London Riverside Tooey Street London, SE1 2RG cc: Mark Hammond, Maria Miar, Heen Grant Dear Chair and Commissioners Looking forward civi society s hopes for the Equaity and Human Rights Commission As organisations invoved in working towards a more equa society in which individuas are not hed back by discrimination or prejudice and a society in which there is respect for human rights, we take a great interest in the work and future of the Equaity and Human Rights Commission. We share the government s desire for a vaued and respected nationa institution, integrating the functions of both a nationa equaity body and nationa human rights institution. We beieve that such a body has key roes to pay in ensuring a heathy democracy, an incusive society, effective pubic services and a thriving economy which draws upon everyone s taents and contributions. We consider now to be the time, with a new Chair and Board, to ook forward, not back and to make a fresh start. We stand ready to work with the EHRC as partners and aies nationay and regionay, using our unique infuence to work with the Commission to hep bring about a fairer and more equa society. In return we woud expect to be engaged, invoved and istened to. We woud therefore wecome an eary opportunity to discuss with the new board and staff the most appropriate ways to achieve this. The new Board has a chaenging task ahead. It wi need to buid respect for the organisation in a difficut cimate and make its mark on equaity and human rights with fewer resources and powers at its disposa. In our view, the Commission has an opportunity to become a vaued and respected body if it fufis the foowing: 1. It shoud use the fu range of its powers to tacke entrenched inequaities, institutionaised discrimination and risks to human rights: We beieve a core roe of the Commission is to be an agent of socia change. It shoud make fu use of the powers at its disposa progressivey to achieve the society envisaged in the present section 3 of the Equaity Act Resources made avaiabe to the Commission to carry out its roe must be both sufficient and predictabe over reasonabe time-frames. We woud wecome the scrutiny of a Pariamentary Committee with reference to the adequacy of EHRC s budget. 28

29 TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING 2. An uphoder of vaues across society: The EHRC is mandated by Pariament to promote respect and understanding regarding the importance of human rights and equaity. We woud wecome a much more robust approach by the Commission with respect to its responsibiities in this area given current eves of pubic misunderstanding, media misrepresentation and hostiity. 3. An independent body: As an A status nationa human rights institution (NHRI) and nationa equaity body (NEB) we expect the EHRC to hod government to account and to do so crediby it must be both egay and operationay independent from government in aw, in its reationship with state bodies and in its actions. The Commission shoud not have to seek the government s permission to use its own powers or decide its priorities and actions. The EHRC shoud not agree to accountabiity arrangements with its sponsor department which aow any government to interfere with this independence, nor shoud government seek to impose such rues (aso see s.42, Equaity Act 2006). We woud strongy support efforts by the Commission to strengthen its reationship with Pariament and for Pariament to take a keen interest in ensuring the Commission s independence. 4. An efficient, effective and transparent organisation: We wish to fee confident that the Commission is making sound use of its budget and other resources and managing its finances effectivey. To these ends we encourage the Commission to expore ways in which it can vountariy demonstrate its independence through being more transparent and accountabe for its own performance, such as more ceary defined strategic and business pan objectives. Our utimate preference is for the Commission to be supervised by Pariament rather than Ministers and we woud wecome the opportunity to work with the Commission to hep move towards this mode. We hope you find this communication hepfu and that it may form the basis of a discussion between ourseves and the Board and staff at the Commission in the near future. We ook forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerey 29

30 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN To The Rt. Hon David Cameron MP, The Rt. Hon. Nick Cegg MP, The Rt. Hon Edward Miiband, The Right Hon Aex Samond MSP, The Rt. Hon Carwyn Jones AM Why are we writing this open etter about the Race Equaity Duty? We Doreen Lawrence OBE and Dr Richard Stone, OBE both understand the reason why the Race Equaity Duty was introduced foowing the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. The Race Equaity Duty, aongside the Disabiity Equaity Duty and the Gender Equaity, were repaced in 2010 by the Pubic Sector Equaity Duty. After some deay the Pubic Sector Equaity Duty (PSED) came into force in Apri 2011 but now we understand that the PSED, which has been in force for just over 18 months in Engand, Scotand and Waes, is to be reviewed. We are writing this open etter to you as party eaders and in your capacities as the most senior ministers of the Crown. We beieve that you are a committed to chaenging institutiona discrimination, advancing equaity, and fostering good reations. We aso beieve and that there is cross-party support for these commitments as there was for Race, Disabiity and Gender Equaity Duties and the reativey new Pubic Sector Equaity Duty. We are particuary concerned about the panned review of the Pubic Sector Equaity Duty since it incorporates the Race Equaity Duty and a key egacy of Stephen Lawrence, and of the egacy of the 1997/99 Inquiry set up in his name. What are our specific concerns? There has been no forma announcement or consutation with stakehoders in the vountary and community sector about the terms of reference for the review; for who wi oversee it; nor for the wider governance arrangements. However we are aware that it has been suggested that the review wi be overseen soey or predominanty by those from the pubic sector or from the Government Equaities Office (GEO). We note that a primary purpose of the Race Equaity, the Disabiity Equaity and Gender Equaity Duties, and now the Pubic Sector Equaity Duty, was, and is, to require pubic bodies to hod up a mirror, question their actions, address institutiona discrimination, foster good reations and advance equaity of opportunity. We beieve that the recent post-egisative review of the Freedom of Information Act, conducted by the Justice Committee, provides an important mode for high quaity, objective and transparent post-egisative scrutiny by Pariament. In particuar, that posts egisative review process: provided pariamentary and cross party scrutiny; reported formay to pariament; was a demonstraby transparent, objective, rigorous and evidence based process; aowed interested parties to submit written evidence and evidence in person where appropriate; 30

31 TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING recognised that those who are to be hed to account by egisation may have radicay different views when compared to those who wish to use the egisation to hod pubic bodies to account. What are we asking you to do? Pease wi you ensure that new body: Wi be overseen by an appropriate pariamentary committee for exampe, the Home Affairs Seect Committee Or that it is overseen by an independent pane advised by those from the pubic sector, civi society and other interested parties That it is governed by cear pubished terms of reference; That it aso foows best practice in terms of post-egisative review, as demonstrated by the Justice Committee s post-egisative review of the Freedom of Information Act incuding: taking written evidence and submissions; commissioning reevant research; committing itsef to an evidence based review; taking evidence in person; pubishing the evidence submitted and research commissioned to support and/or inform the review; pubishing its report and recommendations for consideration by the Government and pariament. We hope that as party eaders and first ministers committed to chaenging discrimination, advancing equaity and fostering good reations, that you wi ensure that the review of the Pubic Sector Equaity Duty meets the highest standards that this Government and previous Governments have demonstrated. Very sincerey Doreen Lawrence OBE The Stephen Lawrence Charitabe Trust, 39 Brookmi Road, Deptford SE8 4HU Dr Richard Stone OBE, ROTA Patron Race on the Agenda, c/o VSC, Internationa Press Centre, 76 Shoe Lane, London EC4A 3JB cc The Rt. Hon Maria Mier MP Cuture Secretary and Minister of State for Women and Equaities 31

32 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN This etter is supported by the foowing member organisations of the BME VCS coaition: 32

33 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION 3Time for action This section gives usefu information about what you can do at oca eve to raise awareness, get invoved and further advance equaity UCU is a democratic organisation reiant to a arge degree on the arge-scae participation of its vounteer members. How effective we are as an industria force and professiona body, protecting our members, depends on how we our participatory structures work. In Apri 2013, UCU genera secretary, Say Hunt wrote to a branches announcing the aunch of Buid the Union a major organising campaign initiated by the Nationa Executive s Recruitment, Organising and Campaigning Committee (ROCC). The campaign aims to renew and revitaize our union and incudes: a roing campaign of nationay co-ordinated maishots across the union. Aready more than 200 branches have participated and we have recruited an additiona 1,200 members a new initiative to activate more members in our branches, UCU in your workpace a new set of resources at our new Buid the Union website to hep our branches buid membership and increase participation. A key aspect of the Buid the Union campaign is arguing with the government for investment rather than austerity and privatisation. UCU is working to buid the broadest possibe coaition, embracing a those who agree that investment in education wi hep to rebuid our economy and our society. Further detais of how you and your branch and workpace can get invoved are detaied overeaf. 33

34 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN Dear coeague FAO A Branch and Loca Association Presidents, Chairs and Secretaries: Buid the Union Campaign: I am writing to you to update you on the aunch of a major organising campaign, tited Buid the Union, initiated by the NEC s Recruitment, Organising and Campaigning Committee ( ROCC ) and to ask for your hep. This campaign has three strands: 1. A major new initiative to recruit oca contacts in every work area 2. An ongoing, nationay coordinated recruitment campaign 3. A new set of resources to hep branches buid effective reationships with their members 1. UCU in every workpace UCU is aunching a new drive to increase the number of our members who are doing something active and meaningfu for our branches, members who are then potentia future reps. The Recruitment and Organising committee (ROCC) of the NEC has aunched this campaign foowing the atest report by Professor Jeremy Waddington. In brief Professor Waddington s survey showed that members are more ikey to participate in industria action and other union activities when there is a face of the union in their immediate workpace. Yet, as every branch officer knows, even the most supportive members are often uneasy about becoming a fu UCU representative. As a resut, in too many departments and workpaces there is no oca UCU contact. In these circumstances, the workoad of branch officers goes up and up and the union misses the opportunity to organise and recruit. ROCC has some simpe objectives: to increase the number of members who come forward to pay an active roe; to create a poo of peope who may go on and become future reps; and to increase the on the ground visibiity of UCU at every eve. We are proposing to do this by working with you to recruit new oca contacts. In brief, a oca contact is someone who: agrees to put up UCU posters and distribute eafets and newsetters round staff rooms and departmenta coeagues agrees to act as a point of contact between the branch and the department: passing information about issues in the department up to the branch and making sure they are taken up; distributing information from the branch to members and non-members may be prepared to ask non-members to join, either by emaiing them, eafeting their offices or possiby door-knocking. 34

35 TIME FOR ACTION Many of you wi aready have peope who are in this roe in your oca work areas and departments. But we re now aiming to buid on this good practice by recruiting more contacts more systematicay, in partnership with our branches. How we wi support you UCU s campaigns team wi contact members who have expressed an interest in getting more invoved in the union, asking if they woud be prepared to take on the roe of oca contact. We wi then pass the names of these contacts to you so you can foow them up. To reassure you, no one wi become a workpace contact without your agreement as the branch eadership. When we send you the names and contact detais of potentia contacts, we woud ike you to ook at which work area the member is from and wherever it is possibe, and especiay if there is no existing workpace rep, to contact the member, wecoming them as a oca contact. You can copy a mode text to use here: How you can hep We woud aso ike you to map your departments and workpaces and identify the paces with no contact. We woud then ike you to write to a the members in those workpaces asking for vounteers to become a contact (or a rep). You can use this mode text here: I wi be in touch with you about this again soon but in the meantime, pease read more about UCU in every workpace here: 2. Nationa recruitment drive You wi aready have seen the recruitment work taking pace across the union in our reguar branch and member communications. This incudes a nationay coordinated campaign of mai shots to non-members. But as you know, there s no substitute for effectivey organising recruitment in the workpace. You can find ots of resources to hep you with this work here: 3. Buid the Union website We are today aunching a new website containing resources to hep branches share best practice in communicating with their members and to ensure that members are participating effectivey in the ife of our union. I d encourage you a to have a ook and feed back to us, but we wi contact you with reguar features introducing our key new resources in more detai. The website can be accessed here: Our future as a union abe to protect our members in these hard times depends on how we we succeed. I can promise you that the nationa union wi be providing every possibe resource to hep branches in this vita task. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Say Hunt UCU Genera Secretary 35

36 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN EQUALITY ORGANISING AND NETWORKING UCU chaenges discrimination on a eves, formuates poicies and responds to consutations from a variety of stakehoders, incuding the government. That is why equaity must never be seen as an add-on or something that ony affects others, but part of everything we as a movement and as trade union members do, whether that is recruiting new members, organising within our branches and oca associations negotiating work-based poicies for a, representing or supporting members or campaigning on issues that affect everyone, equaity runs through everything. Discrimination and victimisation takes pace regardess of age, disabiity, gender identity, race, reigion or beief, sex, sexua orientation, and our combined work goes toward ensuring that our coeges and universities are paces free from institutiona inequaity. Equaity is centra to our work and how we support our members, and is refected through our structures. Section 2 of the UCU Rue Book states ceary these aims and objectives: 2.4 To promote equaity for a incuding through: i. Coective bargaining, pubicity materia and campaigning, representation, Union organisation and structures, education and training, organising and recruitment, the provision of a other services and benefits and a other activities; ii. The Union s own empoyment practices; 2.5 To oppose activey a forms of harassment, prejudice and unfair discrimination whether on the grounds of sex, race, ethnic or nationa origin, reigion, coour, cass, caring responsibiities, marita status, sexuaity, disabiity, age, or other status or persona characteristic; Equaity is important in a aspects of our ives and work. Students and staff in coeges and universities refect the diversity of our society through age, disabiity, gender identity, race, reigion or beief, sex and sexua orientation. Members wi find at different times that their age or reigion or sexua orientation, for exampe, may affect the way they are treated at work. Poicies reating to equaity issues serve to ensure that your coege or university is committed to equaity, ensuring that everyone is vaued, motivated and treated fairy. However, the strength of these poicies rests with how they are impemented, monitored and reviewed. Branches and oca associations shoud make sure that they have an understanding, not ony of the Equaity Act, but aso be famiiar with any negotiated poicies and guidance on equaity issues. Equaity can be progressed by: ensuring that the branch and oca association are consuted on poicies and procedures appicabe to staff chaenging the coege or university when unfair or discriminatory practices arise 36

37 TIME FOR ACTION ensuring the equaity egisation is foowed as far as is possibe, and keeping up to date on changes to equaity egisation promoting good practice and negotiating for improvements in oca agreements reviewing the branch committee members are you refecting the make-up of the institution? For exampe do you need to have a campaign to recruit more women members? Do you need to encourage more back members to become branch officers? estabishing networks to aid additiona support to specific groups (back members, women members, LGBT members and disabed members) being famiiar with UCU guidance on equaity issues and any agreements negotiated nationay having equaity as a standing item on the branch committee agenda. Organising within your branch or oca association around issues of equaity is vita in identifying workpace concerns and wi contribute to the deveopment of new activists. An organised workpace wi have: a high eve of union membership and activity reps in a areas of the workpace (equaity, heath and safety, environmenta etc) reps activey engaged in the branch/oca association committee we attended branch/oca association meetings members prioritising union activity and getting activey invoved in it effective and reguar communication between the union and its members UCU Reps on coege/university equaity committees engaging with members on changes to poicies and negotiation with management. Branch/oca association organisation: mode pan What shoud branches/las be doing? Here is a ten-point pan: 1 Ensure there is an equaity committee in the coege or university. 2 Ensure that there is a UCU representative on this committee. 3 Have an equaity officer on the branch/la committee, and get it estabished that she or he has the right to time off for reevant training. 4 Make sure that your coege or university has adopted the nationay agreed poicies. A fu isting of agreements can be found on the UCU website in the pay and conditions section ( under FE or HE conditions of empoyment. 5 Once adopted, negotiate on their proper impementation. 37

38 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN 6 Use the nationa pay agreements in both sectors as a vehice in the campaign to get parity for houry-paid ecturers. 7 Ensure that training is provided in working time for a your members to meet their responsibiities not to discriminate against students on the grounds of sex, race, disabiity, sexua orientation and reigion or beief. 8 Make equaity issues a standing agenda item at branch/la meetings. 9 Ensure you have copies of a UCU s equaity pubications, and keep up to date with Equaity News, sent every two months to branch/la secretaries and branch/la equaity officers. 10 Make sure a your communications with members are accessibe, friendy and wecoming to a. Regiona equaity networks It is UCU poicy to encourage the organisation of regiona equaity networks to act as a support mechanism for members who may fee isoated within their region. The Equaity committee agreed the foowing overarching principes to inform the work of regiona equaity networks: to provide access to information to promote advocacy at regiona eve to faciitate consutation and invovement to foster recognition of equaity groups needs to provide for the exchange of informa advice and support where appropriate to disseminate opportunities for reevant training and events to faciitate and promote the deveopment of equaity activism at oca, regiona and nationa eve to faciitate sef-organised equaity groups to faciitate the dissemination of good practice in equaity activism to ensure the industria reations agenda is both part of, and responsive to, equaity networks. Membership woud be for UCU members ony; they woud not be focused on casework, and not a substitute for forma democratic union structures. Networks are subject to UCU rues and standing orders. UCU has women s networks in Northern and Yorkshire & Humberside regions; back members networks in the Northern region, and LGBT networks in Manchester and East and West Midands. Scotand has estabished an equaity and human rights commission that brings together a strands and equaity activists. A networks operate differenty with different support arrangements. If your region does not have a network organise one! 38

39 TIME FOR ACTION Pease emai: if you woud ike to receive further information or advice on how to estabish an equaity network. or if you woud ike to join our equaity networks avaiabe for back members, disabed members, LGBT members and women members. Pease put join [and the name of the network] in the subject heading where you wi receive information reating to that group. Equaity campaigning If you need assistance with an equaity or recruitment campaign pease contact our campaigns team at your query wi be acknowedged immediatey and someone wi get back to you with a fu response within two days. BECOMING A UCU EQUALITY OFFICER UCU equaity reps and officers work within branches to promote equaity with the empoyer and union members. This coud incude ooking at issues such as: fexibe working absence management discriminatory practices and poicies equa pay equaity impact assessments. Equaity reps aso ensure that UCU's nationa annua meetings, and any other reevant events and opportunities for women, back members, esbian, gay, bisexua and transgender (LGBT) members and disabed members are pubicised ocay, that members from a groups are encouraged to participate, and that the branch maximises the opportunities for recruitment and organisation among a groups. Equaity reps are vita in deveoping and sustaining nationa and oca equaity networks. UCU s Equaity Tookit contains vauabe information for equaity reps and anyone ese interested in the fied of equaity; it can be downoaded from the UCU website at: Detais of training courses for equaity reps can be found in the activists section of the UCU website or go to: to ocate your regiona training contact. The roe of the equaity officer UCU branches and oca associations that have a high membership density and high eve of activity tend to have better working conditions. They aso tend to be more proactive in campaigning for improvements, rather than having to react to threats from the empoyer. In order for the membership to remain active, invoved and informed, a branch/la needs to eect representatives to take on different roes. UCU mode rue 8.1 states that: Members wi be eected to the foowing officer roes within the branch/la: chair/president, vice-chair/vice-president, treasurer, secretary, membership secretary, equaity officer. 39

40 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN Section 8.6 in the mode rues describes the roe of the equaity officer: 8.6 Equaity officer The equaity officer wi: Have knowedge of and commitment to reevant issues, and be wiing to undertake training according to the needs of UCU, monitor the impementation of equaity poicies within the institution, and, where appropriate, encourage and support oca negotiations on equaity matters Monitor the voume and nature of persona casework which invoves equaity issues to ensure that the branch/la has appropriate mechanisms in pace for handing such cases Where appropriate, provide information, encouragement and support to members about equaity issues Ensure that UCU s nationa annua meetings, and any other reevant events and opportunities for women, back members, esbian, gay, bisexua and transgender members and disabed members are pubicised ocay, that members from a groups are encouraged to participate, and that the branch/la maximises the opportunities for recruitment and organisation amongst a groups Where appropriate, provide iaison between the branch/la and UCU s equaity structures In the absence of the equaity officer, these duties wi be performed by another officer or officers as the committee decides. The roe of the equaity officer can vary according to the size and makeup of the branch/la. The mode branch/la pan (beow) gives suggested a pan for a branch/la to use. Not a the duties are excusivey those of the equaity representatives in fact you probaby won t have the time to undertake them a, so your branch/la committee shoud agree areas of priority. Further information on the roe of the equaity officer can be viewed at: MODEL MOTION The foowing motion can be taiored by branches and oca associations to continue to promote the principes of trade unionism as we as a raying ca to engage nonmembers to be a part of the movement. Austerity and equaity in muticutura Britain The government s Red Tape Chaenge to reduce the unnecessary bureaucracy where it exists and consider aternatives to egisation, is nothing more than a gateway to remove protection for workers by dismanting and eroding our equaity and empoyment rights. The constant attacks and scapegoating of the owest paid in society, disabed peope, working parents, students and those in receipt of state benefits 40

41 TIME FOR ACTION many of whom are ow paid workers being constanty viified as scroungers, azy or work shy is creating a cear division within society whie racist groups and organisations seize the opportunity to attack the communities where we ive and work. We note: the government s pans to divide and rue creating a society of them and us by baming those most in need for the economic crisis the increase in activity from far right groups such as the Engish Defence League (EDL) and the British Nationa Party (BNP) to use the current economic cimate as a patform to maign and divide a communities We beieve: in a fair and equa society for a that a workers shoud be protected from discrimination, harassment and victimisation at work that assistance and support shoud be given to those in need. We resove to: continue to campaign against the unfair and destructive cuts being imposed by the government work coectivey with other trade unions, through the TUC and campaigning groups to retain our equaity and empoyment rights work with Unite against Fascism and Hope not Hate to promote muticuturaism and campaign against far right groups spreading their messages of hate and division especiay when they try to use our coeges and universities as recruitment grounds. HOW ARE THE CUTS AFFECTING YOU? UCU members are being squeezed in every direction as part of the action taken by the Coaition government in their bid to address the current economic crisis. UCU members have seen: an increase in casuaisation attacks on pensions redundancies on an unprecedented scae victimisation of trade union activists erosion of empoyment rights a weakening of equaity to protect workers. We want to how the cuts are affecting you at home and at work. Your comments wi form part of our wider campaign against the government s austerity measures. Emai eqadmin@ucu.org.uk or compete the sip on page 53 of this pack. 41

42 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN EQUALITY RESOURCES UCU members can request printed copies of any of the resources shown here by emaiing and Pease remember to state the quantity required and your fu posta detais. Aternativey, the majority of our resources and pubications can be downoaded from: Posters and stickers the posters are avaiabe in A4 and A3 sizes UCU says NO to UCU vaues equaity, justice and diversity NO PLACE FOR FASCISM IN EDUCATION against fascists Equaity eafet and notice One thing s for sure, cuts, privatisation and attacks on empoyment rights are not the answer. They are the road to nowhere. So, we have to make a choice. Between a future of growing inequaity, or a future of fairness. Brendan Barber, TUC Genera Secretary speaking at A Future that Works demonstration in October 2012 Hep us to create a future of fairness and equaity. If you are not a UCU member yet, join us today: If you are UCU member, hep us to buid your union: UCU s equaity wa charts UCU has produced a series of award-winning wa charts: Hoocaust Memoria Day Internationa Women s Day Disabiity History Month To order copies, contact eqadmin@ucu.org.uk or visit: Equaity Matters Equaity affects us a, and more so during these times of austerity. Whie our members face severe attacks on their equaity and empoyment rights it is time that we act coectivey to ensure that a UCU members are protected from unfair empoyment practices. PROMOTING CHALLENGING Fexibiity Accessibiity Cohesion Justice Equa pay Fairness Equa rights at work Incusion Webeing Respect Acceptance and Toerance Dignity Hate crime Ageism Transphobia Anti-semitism Disabiity Sexism Inequaity Discrimination Homophobia Isamophobia Racism Harassment Extremism working to achieve equaity in the workpace Your UCU equaity officer is: Contact: Equaity marching banner avaiabe for hire EQUALITY THROUGH EDUCATION AND STRUGGLE 42

43 TIME FOR ACTION Wa charts Hoocaust Memoria Day Observed annuay, 27 January Further materia to commemorate Hoocaust Memoria Day (incuding a short fim, written testimonias and eafet can be seen at: Internationa Day of Disabed Peope Observed annuay, 3 December Further information on our work around disabiity issues can be obtained at: Internationa Women s Day Observed annuay, 8 March Further information on our work around women s issues can be obtained at: 43

44 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST FASCISM AND RACISM 1Hod a unchtime meeting at your coege or university invove other unions and student groups incuding the NUS. 2Attend anti-fascist conferences or events. 3Affiiate to Unite against Fascism or Hope not Hate. 4Leafet your workpace, train/underground station on the dangers of far-right groups. 5Sign up to receive anti-fascist updates from UCU. 44

45 TIME FOR ACTION THE STEPHEN LAWRENCE CHARITABLE TRUST FUND APPEAL The TUC is caing on trade unions and trade unionists to hep protect the egacy of Stephen Lawrence by giving generousy to the Stephen Lawrence Charitabe Trust fund raising appea to ensure that the vita work of the Trust continues and that Stephen's egacy ives on. The work of the Trust is threatened by the ack of funds for vountary organisations that has resuted from pubic spending cuts and the recession. Now more than ever, the Stephen Lawrence Trust that does support young peope and to combat socia injustice, by promoting equaity of opportunity, must not be aowed to fai for ack of funding. You can donate onine at: or by text message.text TUCS99 foowed by the symbo, then the amount to You wi receive a text message receipt and the chance to add Gift Aid (by fiing in a web form or by text message). JustTextGiving is free for you the sponsor and the charity you're supporting. You can use the mode motion beow at your branch meeting to agree to send funds to the trust: TUC Stephen Lawrence fundraising appea mode motion This branch notes that the strugge to bring to justice the kiers of Stephen Lawrence who was murdered 18 years ago has eft an enduring egacy and awareness in the wider community about the evis of institutiona racism and racia injustice in the UK. A vita part of that egacy is the work of the Stephen Lawrence Charitabe Trust which was set up to be a asting egacy for Stephen who had dreams of becoming an architect. This branch notes that the work of the Trust is threatened by the ack of funds for vountary organisations that has resuted from pubic spending cuts and the recession. Now more than ever, the Stephen Lawrence Trust that supports young peope and combats socia injustice, by promoting equaity of opportunity must not be aowed to fai for ack of funding. The branch resoves to hep protect the egacy of Stephen Lawrence by: 1 donating to the TUC Stephen Lawrence Fundraising Appea 2 pubicising and promoting the appea among branch members 3 caing on members to make individua donations through the appea page on the TUC website. Proposed Seconded 45

46 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN The egacy of Stephen Lawrence Speaking on the 20th anniversary of the murder of Stephen Lawrence, Symon Sentain, Chair of Trustees at the Stephen Lawrence Charitabe Trust said: Whie there has been progress in the 20 years since Stephen s death, not enough has changed. Socia justice remains the focus of the Trust and we wi continue to campaign, ensuring the essons from Stephens murder are acted upon. Britain cannot afford to waste taent. We need to have an incusive and diverse workforce and encourage young peope to transform their ives, overcome disadvantage and begin ambitious careers as professionas. However, in order to do this, government and statutory bodies need to ead the way and ensure that a pubic poicies are fair, incusive and meet the needs of diverse communities. The Stephen Lawrence Charitabe Trust aso aunched their five-point ca to action: Not enough has changed in the ast 20 years. Over the next 20 years the Trust, as architects of opportunity, beieves Britain needs: 1 An awareness that greatness can come from anywhere Young peope, whatever their background, inspired to success because they see peope ike themseves in senior roes shaping society. 2 A reaisation that Britain can t afford to waste taent Word cass businesses succeeding gobay because they have an incusive and diverse work force recruiting, nurturing and retaining taent from a waks of ife, a communities. 3 Government and statutory bodies to ead the way and pubish transparent data on the demographics of workers and students to ensure that a pubic poicies are fair, incusive and meet the needs of diverse communities. 4 Schoos, further and higher education to embed race equaity into their practice, meeting the Stephen Lawrence Quaity in Education standard, so a students have confidence in themseves, their society and their potentia for the future. 5 An authoritative pedge shoud be deveoped and adopted to recognise the businesses that set the standard for creating a society of opportunity where young peope from a communities can meet their fu potentia. 46

47 TIME FOR ACTION The 20th anniversary of Stephen s death on 22 Apri 1993 is being commemorated throughout the year with a series of events to ceebrate and mark Stephens s ife and egacy. This incudes the SL20 Live Concert at the O2 Arena, a gaa ba and crimina justice ecture. COMMUNITY ACTION GROUPS AND OTHER CAMPAIGNS If you want to campaign for equaity and end your support to the fight against government attacks, prejudice and ignorance, the front ine is in your oca community. If you want to get invoved, there is a campaign or an organisation near you that needs your hep. If your branch is running a campaign, you shoud consider forming inks with simiar organisations who may share your concerns. For exampe, if your branch is campaigning on an education issue, there may aready be other unions on campus such as Unite, Unison or NUT who you can join up with to strengthen your campaign. Where shoud you turn to find out about activism in the community, and how can you encourage members in your branch to become active ocay? You might find the foowing inks usefu: Get in touch with your oca UCU branch To find out about what campaigns they are invoved with ocay. Find your oca branch contact at: Trades Union Counci A abour counci, trades counci or industria counci is an association of abour unions or union branches in a given area. Search for the one operating in your area to find out about oca campaigning and community action. Coaition of Resistance/Peope s Assemby against Austerity The Coaition of Resistance is a broad united nationa campaign against cuts and privatisation in our workpaces, community and wefare services. It aims to deveop a strategy for resistance to mobiise miions of peope against the Con-Dem government. Visit for a range of resources, incuding information on oca action and how to get invoved. UCU is affiiated to the Coaition of Resistance. Regiona TUC Your regiona TUC office is a good source of information about oca campaigns. For contact detais of the office nearest to you: Loca newspapers Often a usefu source of information about a wide range of cuts ocay, incuding cuts to jobs and services. Search their website for artices. Loca BBC sites can aso be a usefu source of information. 47

48 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN The Guardian Cutswatch Website This website can be searched by postcode and contains a whoe series of interactive maps that you can search for cuts to different sectors. These sites depend on reports from groups ike UCU, so pass on any information you find to them too. The Guardian has aso produced a guide on how to obtain information for your oca anti-cuts campaign: Loca Citizens Advice Bureau offices Law Centres and other oca advice services can often provide oca case studies and exampes. Advice workers may monitor the sorts of enquires they receive and can te you if there is a changing pattern. Visit UCU is affiiated to a number of organisations who work for equaity and carry out work in the oca community. They are aways ooking for vounteers or ways to ink up with UCU on community campaigns. A ist of UCU affiiations can be found on page

49 UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION 4Contacts, inks and bogs This section ists usefu contacts and inks to some of the documents referred to in this campaign pack CONTACTS UCU Equaity Unit UCU has a nationa team of staff with expertise and invovement in the whoe equaity agenda. They impement the poicies and priorities determined by members through the democratic ay structures. The team, a based in London, are: Heen Carr hcarr@ucu.org.uk Nationa Head of Equaity Seth Atkin satkin@ucu.org.uk Equaity Support Officia with speciaism for esbian, gay, bisexua and trans equaity and age equaity Chris Nichoas cnichoas@ucu.org.uk Equaity Support Officia with speciaism for race and reigion or beief Charotte Niesen cniesen@ucu.org.uk Equaity Support Officia with speciaism for gender Sharon Russe srusse@ucu.org.uk Equaity Officer James Tayor jtayor@ucu.org.uk Equaity Administrator University and Coege Union, Carow Street, London NW1 7LH

50 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN Other equaity contacts Equaity and Human Rights Commission Cardiff 3rd foor 3 Caaghan Square Cardiff CF10 5BT * Equaity and Human Rights Commission Gasgow 151 West George Street Gasgow G2 2JJ * Equaity and Human Rights Commission London Feetbank House 2-6 Saisbury Square London EC4Y 8JX * Equaity and Human Rights Commission Manchester Arndae House The Arndae Centre Manchester M4 3AQ * Campaign for Trade Union Freedom 1 Isington Liverpoo L3 8EG Institute of Empoyment Rights 4th Foor Jack Jones House 1 Isington Liverpoo L3 8EG Runnymede Trust The Runnymede Trust 7 Pough Yard Shoreditch London EC2A 3LP Stephen Lawrence Charitabe Trust Stephen Lawrence Centre 39 Brookmi Road London SE8 4HU Trades Union Congress Congress House Great Russe Street London WC1B 3LS Unite against Fascism PO Box London SW1P 9WZ Hope not Hate PO Box London NW3 9RF * non-hepine numbers ony 50

51 CONTACTS, LINKS AND BLOGS LINKS UCU produces key pubications and other important documents on equaity issues for branches and oca associations. These can be found on our web page as foows: UCU equaity: atest news UCU equaity: resources UCU equaity: back members UCU equaity: disabed members UCU equaity: LGBT members UCU equaity: women members UCU equaity: pubications Equaity egisation Equaity egisation is changing at a fast pace. The changes mentioned in this campaign pack wi appear in the Enterprise and Reguatory Reform Act. Equaity Act Equaity Act Enterprise and Reguatory Reform Bi This is currenty a bi and has not yet reached Roya Assent when it becomes an Act. Detais of the passage of the bi can be ocated beow. TUC briefings The TUC reguary issues briefing documents covering a number of topics we have seected a two mentioned in this campaign pack. Visit the TUC website for further updates at Two steps forward, one step back: How the Coaition is dismanting our equaity infrastructure TUC briefing August

52 AUSTERITY AND EQUALITY IN MULTICULTURAL BRITAIN Pubic Sector Equaity Duty Review TUC response to GEO Ca for Evidence 19 Apri ACAS Guidance: How to manage coective redundancies BLOGS Touchstone An informa bog by TUC staff about poicy issues that are in the news, or ought to be. This bog covers pubic poicy and cosey connected topics. Stronger Union Stronger Unions is a news and comment bog about the UK trade union movement, managed by the TUC. We aim to be a centra resource on the web for peope wanting to find out about what unions are doing, and a community for peope to contribute their own thoughts on deveopments for our movement. Institute of Empoyment Rights The Institute of Empoyment Rights is a think tank for the abour movement and a charity. They exist to inform the debate around trade union rights and abour aw by providing information, critica anaysis, and poicy ideas through their network of academics, researchers and awyers. Fase Economy Fase Economy is for everyone concerned about the impact of the government s spending cuts on their community, their famiy or their job. It is brought to you by oca campaigners, those who rey on or support good pubic services and those who work to suppy them. Fase Economy s supporters want to buid the broadest possibe movement that can get the government to change direction. 52

53 # CONTACTS, LINKS AND BLOGS New Economics Foundation Knowedge of poitics, economics and the abour market are essentia toos in the fight against racism. The New Economic Foundation has been undertaking an economic myth busting project via their bog The Equaity Trust The Equaity Trust works to reduce income inequaity in order to improve the quaity of ife in the UK. I WANT UCU TO FURTHER ADVANCE EQUALITY BY... Compete and return this sip to te us of three areas where you woud ike to see UCU further advance equaity for its members in the workpace Return this sip to: UCU Equaity unit, Carow Street London NW1 7LH Aternativey, send your ideas in an emai to: eqadmin@ucu.org.uk 53

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56 Equaity unit, UCU, Carow Street, London NW1 7LH T: E: W: