News
One Workplace Equality Award 2011: Robert Mooney, Community
This year’s recipient is Robert Mooney from Community Union. Robert is a Development Officer at the Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries (RSBI) and has been an active trade unionist for 32 years during which time he has served as Shop Steward, Health and Safety Rep, Works Convener and Branch Secretary.
Throughout his involvement with the trade union movement, Robert has extensively campaigned for disability rights on behalf of his members and has worked closely with the STUC’s Equality Committees. As a registered blind person, Robert has successfully overcome his own disability and fight for the rights and benefits of his members and wider society. Working closely with his employers, he has been at the forefront of discussions on the new Public Sector Procurement Directive which reserves work for companies with over 50% disabled workers.
Within his union branch, Robert has actively encouraged young disabled people to take an active part of the trade union and civic society. He also works with youth organisations within the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to encourage young blind people to take part in civic society through a presence at the visually impaired cross party group within the Scottish Parliament and by helping to set up a charity to address barriers to employment for blind people.
Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary commented:
“Robert’s outstanding commitment to the trade union movement, his tireless work to improve lives of disabled workers and achieve equality makes him a worthy recipient for this year’s One Workplace Equality Award.”
Robert said:
“I hope winning this Award will highlight why it is unacceptable, in the 21st century, that almost 50% of disabled people of working age are unemployed and with 80% of disabled who are employed working in public services. The proposed cuts and subsequent job losses will result in this figure rising substantially. It seems that disabled people are paying a high price for the mistakes of the banking sector and the rich.”
To view a video highlighting Roberts achievements, click on
One Workplace Equality Award 2010: Satnam Ner, Prospect
The recipient of the 2010 One Workplace Equality Award is Satnam Ner from Prospect.
In his role as Branch Chair, Prospect, Rosyth Branch working at Babcock International Group, Satnam has ensured that the principles of equality are included in the union’s bargaining agenda and that management do not lose sight of these issues in all their policies and practices in the workplace.
Satnam’s Award forms part of the STUC Union Rep Awards which consist of three awards: the STUC Helen Dowie Award for Lifelong Learning, the STUC One Workplace Equality Award and the STUC Health & Safety Award. The nomination process for the awards asks unions to identify lay activists who have excelled in the promotion of the workplace learning agenda, equalities or health and safety within their union, workplace or community.
The workers who received these Awards where in Edinburgh in November this year, as part of Scottish Parliament Trade Union Week where they met with First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP
For more information on the Equality Award, including nominations for next year, please visit:
Making Equality Work? An update on Scottish Trade Union Approaches to Equalities 2010
One Workplace Equal Rights and Close the Gap Projects jointly commissioned Employment Research Institute (ERI) at Napier University to conduct a piece of mapping research, as a follow up to a 2004/05 study that mapped Scottish trade unions approaches to promoting equal opportunities.
The research aimed to measure the distance travelled by trade unions between 2005 and 2010, and to make recommendations for further action. This involved both a review of policy and research literature and a series of semi-structured interviews with representatives of STUC affiliated trade unions.
One Workplace Equality Award presented at STUC Congress 2007
The first STUC One Workplace Equality Award recipient was announced at STUC Annual Congress at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow on Monday 16th April. Rhona Brankin, Minister for Communities, presented the Award to Margaret Anslow, TSSA Equality Rep. Margaret was concerned by the incidence of stress and harassment problems in the workplace, so she undertook a research project which discovered gaps in the implementation of equality policies. Margaret used her research to negotiate a policy review and the introduction of regular team briefings across Scotland.
In addition to receiving her Award at Congress, Margaret will be invited to visit the Scottish Parliament and will attend a European transnational visit to Budapest, Hungary with the One Workplace project.
"One for All?" Hit Theatre Performance at STUC Congress
In April 2007 One Workplace hosted a packed lunchtime theatre performance for STUC Congress delegates. The play dramatizes experiences of workplace discrimination and examines the role of trade unions in promoting equality. "One for All?" tells the story of three individuals as they struggle to cope with discrimination through harassment, suspicion and other barriers from colleagues and managers, conveying the human impact this has on their personal as well as professional lives. As the drama ends, the issues remain unresolved, leading to a discussion where the audience is invited to suggest how trade unions might respond.
"One for All" was produced by PACE Theatre Company and will soon be available as an equality training resource on DVD.
Click back later for more info on the training DVD.
Implementing Equality through Action Research
One Workplace has commissioned the Active Learning Centre at Glasgow Universityto explore the operation of equal opportunities in the workplace by engaging trade union reps in action research projects.
An interim report has been published with case studies which have generated a number of innovative solutions to bridge the gap between policy and implementation of equality best practice.
To download a copy of the report, click on Resources.
One Workplace project extended to October 2007
One Workplace Equal Rights has secured funding from the Scottish Government and EU Equal COOL to develop a second phase of the project from November 2005 to October 2007. New activities including action learning for TU reps and officials, TU-Employer Equality Partnerships and arts-based learning resources will be designed to develop models of best practice for equalities which can then be mainstreamed through trade unions in Scotland.
Click back soon for more information.
One Workplace publishes Trade Union Equalities Study
The One Workplace project has published the findings of a mapping study undertaken by the Employment Research Institute at Napier University. The study explores the operation of equal opportunities policies and practice in the workplace, identifying
barriers and opportunities from a trade union perspective.
To download a copy of the report, click on Resources.
One Workplace wins Scottish Empowerment Award
The One Workplace Equal Rights project has won a Scottish Empowerment Award under the employment Catergory for its work with Scottish Trade Unions.
Click here for Press Release
Action Research
The One Workplace Equal Rights Campaign is commissioning research to explore the operation of equal opportunities policies and practice in the workplace, identifying barriers and opportunities. The findings of the research will support the work of the Campaign and the STUC in promoting equal opportunities in Scotland
As part of this research, we are also seeking to establish a group of Trade Unionists to participate in specific research activities in conjunction with other researchers and Trade Unionists. This represents a good opportunity to build capacity within your union and also to learn about good practice within other unions.
For more information, click on events.