NUJ delegation to TUC Black Workers’ Conference expose ‘Race Science’
Roger McKenzie, Sohair Soliman, Saadeya Shamsuddin and Dapo Ladimeji attended the TUC Black Workers’ Conference 2025 as NUJ delegates at Congress House in London.
A motion from the NUJ commending undercover filming in cooperation with the Hope Not Hate anti-racism campaign, which provided footage and material for The Guardian and other partners to expose the work of an international network of “race science” activists was adopted unanimously after a lively debate.
Raising awareness about uncovering the re-emergence of ideas on race and eugenics labelled scientific racism by mainstream academics and described by the Centre for Culture and Evolution at Brunel University as a ‘dangerous ideology’, there are concerns that such ideologies have increasingly been promoted by some political movements, not just the fringe Far Right.
Ideas claiming to prove biological differences between races, such as higher average IQ, in which dominant racial and ethnic groups are perceived as being superior, were slammed by the conference with examples given during the debate of how this continues to play out in the workplace and communities across the country.
NUJ delegates called on the TUC General Council and its Race Relations Committee to seek help from organisations such as Hope Not Hate, parliamentarians and academics, to campaign to oppose the core tenets of race science and policies of mass expulsion of migrants.
The TUC Race Relations Committee’s report highlighted the TUC Racial Justice and Equality Conference which “brought together trade unionists, academics, journalists, and campaigners to discuss racial justice, workplace inequality, and the rise of the far right. Discussions focused on how Black workers continue to face discrimination and economic hardship, with little progress since the pandemic. The role of social media in spreading far-right narratives was also highlighted, particularly in light of recent racist riots in the UK.”
It also addressed the ethnicity pay gap which set out that Black and ethnic minority workers remain trapped in low-paid, insecure jobs, facing systematic exploitation and underemployment. It reported that workers currently experience a staggering £3.2 billion pay penalty.
Conference welcomed the development of 160 Black trade union reps and activists through the TUC Black Activist Programmes and the creation of the opportunity for Black trade unionists to collaborate and network across unions through its networking programmes.
Conference also covered issues of sexual harassment against Black women and the lack of opportunity for ethnic minority workers in the public sector, racism at work, as well as addressing xenophobia and its impact on human rights, alongside the need to build a strong movement of black activists.
Delegates heard from Husam Said Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the UK, who gave a powerful talk about Gaza’s situation and the people of Palestine, remarking on concerns over threats to demolish hospitals and the obstruction of medical supplies. Conference voted unanimously on recognising rights of Palestinians in solidarity for Palestine.