assert the rights of black workers. TWO events last week brought racism back into the centre of the news. The Joint Committee Against Racialism led a deputation to the Home Secretary, William Whitelaw, to protest against a sharp rise in racist attacks.
Less publicised was the decision of an industrial tribunal that a hospital's refusal to allow a Sikh girl to wear trousers rather than regulation uniform was racial discriminaDiscussion on racism inside the labour movement is increasingly concentrating on the need for positive action - known in the 'affirmative action' - to The National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) London division has launched a campaign for 'equal opportunities for all ethnic minorities at work. DAVY JONES looks at this and other labour movement campaigns for positive action for black and women Challenge combat more urgent. "This preference to and more. racist. Colonial home-based visit their origin. ed at a stewards' to kover.
are against employ- 'It employees racial difference criteria in jobs.
of equal Lambeth among check that tunities adds:
of recruitmen against them by all security forces . In reality people ment culture, and so on. As the tion capitalist crisis grows the Fighting need for positive action to becomes not only fighting for jobs for blacks whites, but also for positive action on promouions, education, crete measures.
social services. example right of blacks to have ex.
tended holidays in order to of COULEICS When this was raismeeting even Ine mosi militant stewards opposed It on the grounds that this concessions could not be class, racist the recognise the special posiensure the job, In many CommandIl!
all.
portunities boy. positive aspects or positive aspects have ches to become part of our selection The NUPE pack argues for careful monitoring of job en- committees. try, training and promotion to an equal oppor- critical poicy is working.
on records and ople re sat rea information kept can be used employers or handed over to the police and It is therefore essential that the union negotiates an agree- workers management on of immigrants. for posiuve ac tion challenges the complacency of white workers who think that being antiracist is just being nice to individual blacks.
'It also means that the state has to take some conand in doing so has to acknowledge that racism does after all 'Positive Is a start to ending centuries of injustice against blacks. It will not defeat racism, but will increase the comworking particularly the blacks, and thus decrease possibility dangerous divisions.' lected, how. it is to be stored, and who will have access to it.
The pack explains the need for special training: "To win people to the policy and make it work, adequate training for get rid of disadvantages for ethnic minorities and to chanenge racisma particular it outlines the need for language training as sections the ethnic speak English as their first language Pt Pakistani and 71 percot cent of exambie Pakistani WUllici SOCaK English only slightly or not at Finally to ensure equal opwithin the union itself the pack argues for branorganise educational campaigns among the membership including schools and the establishment of race advisory Socialist Challenge the weaknesses of the NUPE campaign, particuarly their failure to argue tor clear quotas and go supervised by toe minion.
supervised the union.
Nevertheless their campaign is a welcome first step on the road black - an example which tivists should study carefully.
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EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Black and Minority Ethnic Workers A Pack for Negotiators NATIONAL UNION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES (LONDON DIVISION)