POA DELEGATION AT THE TUC BLACK WORKERS’ CONFERENCE 2026

Theme: From Equity to Action: Transforming Work for Black Workers

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) was represented at the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Black Workers’ Conference, held at Bournemouth International Conference Centre from Friday 24 April to Sunday 26 April. The conference emphasised the vital contribution of Black workers to the labour movement and the urgent need to eliminate discrimination at all levels. Delegates debated approximately 25 motions covering a broad range of issues, including:

• • Diversity in senior leadership roles
• Building and sustaining an anti-racist movement
• Tackling racism in the workplace
• The impact of hostile environments on Black communities
• Protecting skilled migrant workers
• Challenging the far right and racist narratives
• Media accountability and reporting standards.

The POA delegates spoke on a number of motions and produced a summary of their contributions below.

Motion 1 – Diversity in Senior Roles Gavin Dore, HMP Five Wells

I’m proud to have attended the 2026 Black Workers’ Conference, an inspiring and empowering event that brought together professionals, leaders and changemakers committed to advancing equity, opportunity and representation in the workplace.

I also had the privilege of speaking on ‘Diversity in Senior Roles’, when I explored the gap between participation and representation. While Black workers have the highest trade union membership density of any ethnic group in the UK, this is not reflected in leadership representation. This lack of progression within unions mirrors a wider trend across the UK workforce, where Black employees hold only 1.5% of leadership roles.

These disparities highlight the urgent need for intentional action: removing structural barriers, creating clear progression pathways and ensuring accountability at senior levels.

One of the most impactful parts of the conference was listening to the motions and debates brought forward by different unions. The discussions powerfully reflected the everyday realities many Black workers continue to face, from unequal access to progression opportunities and underrepresentation in leadership to workplace discrimination, pay inequality, job insecurity, and the additional pressures of having to constantly prove capability and value in professional spaces.

Hearing these experiences shared collectively reinforced how important it is that unions continue to challenge injustice, amplify Black voices and push for meaningful workplace reform. The debates were honest, thoughtprovoking and a reminder that, while progress has been made, there is still significant work ahead to achieve true equality and inclusion across all sectors.

The conference sparked powerful conversations, valuable insights and meaningful connections. I left feeling motivated and even more committed to driving inclusive change within our organisations and beyond.

Motion 4 – Tackling Racism at Work Rotimi Simikaye, HMP Stocken

I supported Motion 4, which focused on tackling racism in the workplace, using the Prison Service as a case study. I highlighted several key issues, including:

• Black prison officers operating within an inherently demanding environment while facing disproportionate expectations to consistently outperform peers, often being judged on race, accent and background rather than competence • Experiences of racism from colleagues, including exclusion, stereotyping and lack of adequate support • Instances where Black officers are assessed based on accent rather than professional ability • The additional pressure on Black officers to demonstrate exceptional confidence, competence, and diligence in the workplace • The critical importance of teamwork, allyship and mutual support • The need for meaningful representation in positions of influence and decision-making.

My contribution strongly reinforced the POA’s commitment to solidarity with all workers, particularly those who face disproportionate barriers and challenges in their professional environment. The overall atmosphere reflected unity, empowerment and a collective determination to confront injustice and inequality.

For the POA, the conference served not only as a platform to engage with pressing national and international issues, but also as a vital opportunity to ensure that the voices, experiences and concerns of prison officers were fully represented within the wider labour movement.

Tackling racism in the workplace is not merely a policy objective; it is fundamental to professionalism, operational safety and justice. Creating a fair and inclusive working environment enables all officers to perform at the highest standard, and to uphold the values and integrity of the institutions they serve.

Motion 7 – Standing up against the Rise in Racism and the Scapegoating of Migrants Oladimeji Olaleye, HMP Elmley

I started by making the following points:

• Migration is not the cause of every social or economic problem
• Racism often intensifies during periods of political anxiety, economic pressure or rapid change
• Migrants are people – workers, families, students, refugees, neighbours – not abstractions or statistics. Governments can debate immigration policy without dehumanising entire groups of people.

In the UK, debates about housing shortages, NHS waiting times, wages and public services are often framed as being caused primarily by migrants. Yet these issues usually have deeper causes: underinvestment, austerity, labour market policy, housing supply failures, regional inequality and political choices over decades. Reducing complex problems to ‘it’s migrants’ creates scapegoats rather than solutions.

I gave practical examples of situations where I have been at the receiving end of racism, and advocated for how it can be eradicated. I urged the conference to support the motion.

Motion 9 – Protecting Migrant Skilled Workers Akinola Akinlade, HMP Stocken

In supporting this motion, I spoke from a place of conviction and lived understanding of the realities many Black migrant workers face. I made clear that this motion is not abstract; it reflects the daily experiences of workers who are too often undervalued, deskilled, and subjected to racism and discrimination, despite bringing vital skills and expertise to our workplaces. I highlighted how Black migrant workers are frequently trapped in insecure roles, denied progression opportunities and made vulnerable by systems that tie employment to immigration status, all of which reinforce inequality. Supporting this motion was about affirming that dignity, fairness and respect must be non-negotiable, and that tackling systemic racism requires deliberate action from employers, unions and policymakers alike.

I emphasised that the conference agenda rightly calls us to move beyond recognising disparities and instead commit to structural change that protects rights, ensures fair treatment and amplifies the voices of Black workers. This motion is a crucial step in that direction, demanding accountability and practical solutions that will make a real difference on the ground.

I would like to express my gratitude to the POA for the opportunity to speak on and support this important motion, while also stressing that our responsibility does not end here. We must translate these commitments into action and ensure that policy delivers meaningful, lasting change for Black and migrant workers.

Motion 13 – Opposing Far Right and Racist Organising in our Workplaces Olaide Elujoba, HMP Standford Hill

I started in 2018 as the only Black officer among 102 staff. Reports and investigations into the UK prison service have highlighted significant concerns regarding a “toxic culture” of racism, bullying and the presence of far-right ideologies among staff, which ministers have warned has become “normalised”.

This workplace recognised that:

• Under the Equality Act 2010, all workers are protected from discrimination, harassment and victimisation on the basis of protected characteristics, including race, religion and nationality
• Employers in the UK have a legal duty of care to provide a workplace free from harassment and to take reasonable steps to prevent discrimination. Prison workplaces call on management to:
• Enforce equality, diversity and anti-harassment policies rigorously and consistently
• Investigate all complaints promptly, fairly and in accordance with ACAS codes of practice.

We stand collectively against far-right and racist organising in all its forms. In line with UK law, regulatory guidance and trade union principles, our workplace must be one where dignity, equality and mutual respect are upheld by all.

Motion 16 – Addressing Racism-Related Workplace Distress and Protecting Black and Ethnic Minority Workers’ Wellbeing Karlana Diedrick, HMP Werrington

I spoke in support of this by drawing on my experience as Equalities Lead in a young offenders’ prison, where I witnessed migrant and minority ethnic staff feeling isolated and undervalued, and subjected to bullying and unfair workplace processes.

I highlighted serious shortcomings in leadership understanding of unconscious bias, micro-aggressions and the harmful impact of dismissive “banter,” and explained the work that I have led on over the past 18 months to challenge this through cultural awareness, race ally, active bystander and anti-banter training.

I stressed that training alone is not enough without visible commitment and action from senior leaders, including fair processes, equitable opportunities and culturally competent mental health support.

Motion 21 – Racial Bias in Facial Recognition Fiolentine Mushashi, HMP Woodhill

It was my first time as a delegate at the TUC Black Workers’ Conference, and I supported this motion. I shared a personal experience to help the audience understand why we cannot wait for what happened to a family member of mine to happen to others.

As a result of that experience and bias, PTSD occurred, which includes high levels of anxiety, agoraphobia and unnecessary anger. It also makes communities not want to seek help from the police, who should be there to protect us all.

Motion 23 - Media Reporting Standards Abiola Olagbaju, HMP Huntercombe

As a prison officer, migrant, and delegate of the Prison Officers’ Association, I spoke in support of a motion challenging the harmful portrayal of Black people and migrants in the media and wider society. Too often, migrants – particularly those from African countries and across the Commonwealth – are reduced to negative stereotypes that ignore the reality of the sacrifices, costs and contributions involved in legal migration.

These narratives are not harmless; they shape attitudes and create consequences that are felt directly in workplaces like the prison service, where trust, respect and cohesion are essential. In high-pressure environments, distorted perceptions about race and migration can influence how colleagues are viewed, listened to or treated, placing an additional burden on Black and minority ethnic staff who already work in demanding roles.

Racism does not always appear openly – sometimes it exists through assumptions, doubt or silence – but its impact remains damaging to morale, fairness and workplace unity. Supporting this motion was about insisting that migration be discussed through facts rather than fear, and about challenging the racialised narratives that continue to divide communities and undermine the integrity of public services. As Kwame Nkrumah said: “Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”