UCU: Conference on political blackness

Motion

Motion text: Congress notes:
1. UCU uses political blackness, to “refer to people who are descended … from
Africa, the Caribbean, Asia (the middle East to China) and Latin America”
who are “from a visible minority who have a shared experience of
oppression”.
2. The use of political blackness in the trade union movement is unique to the
UK, and the concerns around its use have increased over the last two
decades.
Congress believes:
a. Language around race and identity is important and forever changing, as
such, we should be continuously engaged with the various discussions on the
topic; members should be provided with spaces to have these discussions.
Congress resolves for UCU to:
i. Host and facilitate a 2026 Conference on the uses, histories, and legacies of
political blackness in collective organising.
ii. Commit to the formation of a working report on the exploration of alternative
terminologies.