TUC Black Workers conference: health inequalities and microaggressions highlighted by CSP

CSP members Laran Chetty, Lekha Mankar, Bunmi Olasanoye and Salil Parkar attended the first in person conference since 2019, alongside CSP staff visitors Siân Caulfield and Natasha Owusu. 

The 2023 conference opened with a thought-provoking TUC anti-racism taskforce panel event.

Panellists included NASUWT general secretary and TUC anti-racism taskforce chair Dr Patrick Roach, TUC head of equalities and strategy Kudsia Batool and TUC general secretary Paul Nowak. Each of the panellists spoke to conference about the ARTF manifesto, released in September 2022 and how the manifesto aims will be realised. 

Health inequalities 

CSP member Laran Chetty delivered a speech to conference in support of the CSP motion on health inequalities. He spoke passionately about the impact of health inequalities on mental health, maternity and neonatal services alongside the impacts of inequalities in access to digital inclusion, access to health services and the impact on the NHS workforce. 

Laran said: 'A recent NHS Race and Health Observatory report identified health inequalities as a longstanding problem of the NHS, rooted in structural, institutional and interpersonal racism.'

The CSP motion was supported by the Royal College of Midwives, who highlighted the stark differences in maternal health outcomes due to inequalities. The motion passed unanimously. 

Microaggressions 

Salil Parkar, CSP member and events officer for the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic network spoke in support of a motion delivered by the Royal College of Midwives on the importance of allyship in the workplace.

Salil highlighted the CSP microaggressions campaign, and shared member experiences of microaggressions at work and in wider society.

Salil said: 'We wholeheartedly support this excellent motion from the Royal College of Midwives and stand with anyone facing racism in the workplace. As a trade union and professional body, we know that many of our members face racism at work and in wider society and all too often, the onus falls on the individual experiencing racism to address the issue.'

Find out more

Interested in joining in with the trade union movement’s democratic policy making? 

Speak to national officer Siân Caulfield for an informal chat about joining at a future TUC Black Workers conference.