UNITE INVESTIGATES
‘Absolute zero tolerance on racism’
Unite GS Sharon Graham says no to predjudice and bigotry on Wear Red Day
On October 22 Unite members from across the UK took part in Wear Red Day – the educational charity Show Racism the Red Card’s (SRtRC) national day of action. The charity has called on all of its supporters to wear red and donate to the organisation to support its anti-racism educational training in schools and workplaces across the UK. SRtRC was formed in 1996 to use football role models to enlist young people in anti-racism drives. Previous stars on the SRtRC team sheet include Thierry Henry, Ryan Giggs and Samuel Eto’o. The charity goes out into communities, classrooms and football clubs and educates roughly 50,000 schoolchildren each year in England, Wales and Scotland about racism. The charity’s work has never been more important than now – as the Black Lives Matter movement has gained momentum, sadly so too have racist incidents across the UK. The shocking online racism targeted against black England football team players in the Euro 2020 Final is only one example of many.
Unite GS Sharon Graham says no to racism by wearing red
“I was proud to wear red on October 22 and proud every day to stand shoulder to shoulder with our BAEM members in the struggle against predjudice, ignorance and bigotry”
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary
Pictured is Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, wearing red at Unite’s recent policy conference. Sharon told uniteEXTRA, “It’s astounding that the hideous hatred of racism is still out there, blighting the lives of our BAEM members, and causing them so much pain. “Unite has long been proud to be involved with the great work of Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC) – for its anti-racist actions on the football pitch, for BAEM workers everywhere and across our communities. Unite has an absolute zero tolerance on racism, like SRtRC and we will not rest until all forms of this insidious hatred is removed from our sports fields, our communities and moreover our workplaces. “I was proud to wear red on October 22 and proud every day to stand shoulder to shoulder with our BAEM members in the struggle against predjudice, ignorance and bigotry,” she added.
“Many joined us this Wear Red Day, adding their support to the cause and voices to the choir. We will not be silenced”
Ged Grebby, CEO SRtRC
Pictured is Julien Firea, Unite rep proud to wear red
Unite activist and food processing worker, Romanian Julien Firea (pictured), was also a delegate to conference and proud to wear red on October 22. While at conference Julien got to move a motion calling for an online migrant workers' support network with an embedded translation facility. This, he explained, would help migrant workers in the workplace and could be a vital tool for organising, educating and recruiting new members. “By having a translation facility in this forum, it will enable all of us to understand each other – it will be like a Babel Tower for us, but a positive one," he said. Iulian’s motion was overwhelmingly carried. Commenting on Wear Red Day, Show Racism the Red Card’s chief executive Ged Grebby said, “2020 is behind us and we are a different people in this new year. We are stronger than ever before because we have come together in our common purpose – the advancement of the anti-racism movement. At its core is education. “From the worst comes our best,” he added. “The brutal world altering events of last summer pushed us to the front of the agenda and people started to speak meaningfully. These cannot become forgotten conversations. Without momentum there is no progression. Without learning the advantage is lost. Lives should not be ruined by racism. “Many joined us this Wear Red Day, adding their support to the cause and voices to the choir. We will not be silenced.”
