Step up, stand up and speak out against racism

The murder of George Floyd in the US and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities in the UK have focused attention on the everyday inequalities faced by Black people. UNISON head of equality Gloria Mills provides some context on racism in the UK and explains how the union is at the forefront of the fight against it. Gloria, do you feel that systemic racism has never meaningfully gone away? Systemic racism is present in our institutions, both public and private. It has never meaningfully gone away, but it has taken different forms. In the past, Black people experienced overt racism by being called names, seeing signs saying ‘No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs’. You do not see such blatant signs any more, but systemic racism now takes place in our private institutions. For example, in the banks when you go to pay a bill, some banks ask you to prove your identity. As the Windrush scandal showed, it is not sufficient for Black people just to be British – you’re asked to show different forms of identity just to withdraw your monthly salary. It is the additional checks and hurdles faced in accessing everyday services, which for most white people will never be a problem. So while we have moved away for the naked and overt racism that Black people faced before, racism is now practiced in more covert ways – with sophistry and subtlety, but it has the same negative outcomes. Do you fear that Brexit – and now, maybe, the increased incidence of COVID-19 i...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article black members Covid-19 Gloria Mills Source Type: news