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New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Legacy of past hangs over anti-immigrant violence in Northern Ireland
BULLETS and bombs were a part of life in the Belfast that Raied al-Wazzan moved to from Iraq in 1990, but he never felt threatened as a member of one of the divided region's tiny ethnic minorities. But after a week when masked anti-immigrant rioters attacked police and set the homes of migrants on fire, fear has set in. "There are certain areas I cannot go by myself or even drive through," said Al-Wazzan, the vice-chair of the Northern Ireland Council for Racial Equality, an umbrella group for a number of organisations representing ethnic minorities. "I used to live in some of these areas, but today it's not safe for me or (my) family or people who have a different colour of skin." The eruption of what police described as mob-led "racist thuggery" is particularly dangerous in Northern Ireland due to its legacy of sectarian violence and lingering role of paramilitary groups with a history of stoking street disorder. More than 3,600 people were killed between 1968 and 1998 in a conflict between mainly Catholic Irish nationalists seeking Irish unity, predominantly Protestant pro-British "loyalists" wanting to stay in the United Kingdom and the British military. But while segregation along sectarian lines remains common, particularly in housing and education, the number of recorded race hate crimes is now double that of sectarian offences, which they surpassed almost a decade ago, police data shows. "The last week's events have not come out of nowhere," said Patrick Corrigan, the local director of Amnesty International, who knew of women and children fleeing to their attic to breathe through a skylight when rioters lit fires downstairs. "We have a serious problem of endemic racist violence, at times fuelled by paramilitary organisations, a particularly sinister element in this part of the world where you have masked men who have recourse to violence to try to tell people where they're allowed to live or where they're not," Corrigan said. While the 1998 Good Friday Agreement led to the disarming of the main Irish Republican and loyalist militant groups, splinter factions endure. Such groups continue to exert control over some communities through intimidation, financial extortion and drug dealing, and have been involved in racially motivated attacks, the body that monitors paramilitary activity said earlier this year. Corrigan said migrants within WhatsApp groups he is part of were "clearly terrified", reluctant to leave their homes to go to work and their children afraid to walk to school. That sentiment is shared by Nathalie Donnelly, who runs a weekly English class as part of the UNISON trade union's migrant worker project. Half her students were now too scared to attend, she said. "I think we are just one petrol bomb away from a serious loss of life," Corrigan said. The violence flared first and was most intense in Ballymena after two 14-year-old boys were arrested and appeared in court, accused of a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in the town. The charges were read via a Romanian interpreter to the boys, whose lawyer told the court that they denied them. Ballymena, 45 kilometres (28 miles) from Belfast, is a mainly Protestant working-class town that was once the powerbase of Ian Paisley, the fiercely pro-British preacher-politician who died in 2014. Most of the other areas where anti-immigrant violence spread last week - Larne, Newtownabbey, Portadown and Coleraine - were similar, mostly Protestant towns. At the outset of the "Troubles", some Catholics and Protestants were violently forced from their homes in areas where they were in the minority, and sectarian attacks remained common through three decades of violence and the imperfect peace that followed. "Sectarianism and racism have never been very different from each other," said Dominic Bryan, a professor at Queens University Belfast who researches group identity and political violence. "It doesn't totally surprise me that as society changes and Northern Ireland has become a very different society than it was even 30 years ago, that some of this 'out grouping' shifts," Bryan said, adding that such prejudices could also be seen among Irish nationalists. Immigration has historically been low in Northern Ireland, where the years of conflict bred an insular society unused to assimilating outsiders. There are other factors at play too, said Bryan. The towns involved all have big economic problems, sub-standard housing and rely on healthcare and industries such as meat packing and manufacturing that need an increasing migrant workforce. "The people around here, they're literally at a boiling point," said Ballymena resident Neil Brammeld. The town's diverse culture was welcomed and everybody got along, he said, but for problems with "a select few." "The people have been complaining for months and months leading up to this and the police are nowhere to be seen." While around six per cent of people in the province were born abroad, with those belonging to ethnic minority groups about half that, the foreign-born population in Ballymena is now much higher, in line with the UK average of 16 per cent. Northern Ireland does not have specific hate crime legislation, although some race-related incidents can be prosecuted as part of wider laws. Justice Minister Naomi Long pledged last year to boost those existing provisions but said the power-sharing government would not have enough time to introduce a standalone hate crime bill before the next election in 2027. While five successive nights of violence mostly came to an end on Saturday, the effects are still being felt. "I'm determined that I'm not going to be chased away from my home," said Ivanka Antova, an organiser of an anti-racism rally in Belfast on Saturday, who moved to Belfast from Bulgaria 15 years ago. "Racism will not win."
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
North and South Lanarkshire Council staff to be balloted after unions received two-year pay offer
Local government trade union UNISON said the new offer is for four per cent this year and 3.5 per cent for next (2026/27). North and South Lanarkshire Council staff are to be balloted after unions received a two-year pay offer from local government employers Cosla. Local government trade union UNISON said the new offer is for four per cent this year and 3.5 per cent for next (2026/27). UNISON's local government committee has met to discuss the offer and has decided to recommend to members that they vote to accept. UNISON Scotland head of local government, David O'Connor said: 'The threat of possible strikes by council employees has forced Cosla back to the table. 'But it should not have taken the possibility of staff walkouts closing services to get Cosla and the Scottish government to listen to the workforce. 'Local authority workers were due a pay rise in April. Despite the delay, this is a sensible offer. 'The union will be putting the new amount to council staff over next few weeks, recommending that they accept.'
Daily Record
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Former Labour candidate in 'racist' tweets storm given top trade union job
EXCLUSIVE: Figures in UNISON union are angry Wilma Brown is to become a regional organiser after the race row. A trade union has given a £55,000 job to a former Labour candidate who stood down over a row about racist tweets. Figures in UNISON are angry Wilma Brown has been appointed to a top regional organiser's job. Brown was set to stand for Labour in the winnable Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy seat at the general election last year. But she was suspended and replaced as the candidate after a row blew up over offensive posts that were shared on her X account. The liked posts described former First Minister Humza Yousaf as "Hamas Yousless" while another told an Indian man he would "never be an Englishman". The SNP said at the time of the controversy that the shared tweets were 'deeply offensive' and 'racist'. Brown also left her post at NHS Fife, with the local UNISON branch saying she was moving to a 'new adventure'. An internal email last month from Lilian Macer, the most senior figure in the union in Scotland, revealed Brown had been offered a regional organiser's post focusing on Aberdeen. One UNISON source said: 'Staff and Reps are deeply concerned that this support for someone 'liking' social media posts of a racist nature will harm the hard won reputation of all staff, reps and members'. A second insider said: ' UNISON members are appalled that Wilma Brown, who was suspended from standing as a Labour Party candidate over her endorsement of racist social media posts, has now been handed a senior role within the union. 'This decision shatters trust and sends a deeply troubling message about UNISON 's commitment to equality and integrity.' The full remuneration package for the job is believed to be worth up to £60,000, with a salary of nearly £55,000. UNISON has an 'anti racism charter' which commits the union to tackling prejudice. It includes actions such as: 'Challenge racism internally and externally wherever it arises in relation to the organisation. ' Recognise the impact of racism upon staff members' wellbeing.'Set and regularly review strategy to improve racial equality, diversity and inclusion so that the organisation reflects the communities it serves.' In April, the STUC 's annual congress was marred by a row over Brown being given a ceremonial speaking role praising Macer, who at that time was also president of the trade union body Brown' s contribution was followed by speeches from senior trade unionists condemning Islamophobia and the far right. A UNISON spokesperson said: "Wilma Brown stepped down as a prospective parliamentary candidate and no action was taken against her. This was entirely a matter for the Labour Party.'
Glasgow Times
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Lanarkshire carers set to strike this week over pay
The walkout, organised by UNISON, is part of a coordinated five-day strike by employees of Enable Scotland, spanning multiple regions. The industrial action began last week in East Renfrewshire, Aberdeenshire, and Ayrshire, and will continue with further demonstrations in Edinburgh and Glasgow. READ MORE: Police staff could strike in row over 'huge cuts' UNISON says this marks the first nationwide strike in Scotland's care sector in over a decade, driven by what it describes as 'years of broken promises' from the Scottish Government regarding the long-promised reform and proper funding of social care services. The current wave of action will culminate in a march and rally at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Thursday, June 12, where care workers from across the country will call for fair pay and recognition. Jennifer McCarey, UNISON Scotland's regional organiser, said: 'This has been a difficult decision for care workers. But they feel this is the only way they can get the Scottish government to listen to them. 'Care workers in Lanarkshire and across Scotland are standing up for themselves and for everyone who needs their support.' READ MORE: Rail union launches strike ballot after 'unacceptable' pay offer Among those taking part is Alfons Crichton, a personal assistant from Cumbernauld, who voiced frustration at continued low wages and unfulfilled commitments: 'We love our jobs and we know how much people rely on us. But we are some of the lowest paid workers in Scotland. 'None of us ever thought we'd be on strike, but we've had nothing but broken promises. This is about how much the Scottish government really values what we do.' The union is urging the government to engage meaningfully with workers and address the long-standing issues plaguing the social care sector.
BBC News
07-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Job cuts fears as University of Derby plans college mergers
A union has warned the University of Derby will be "weaker" as part of proposed changes which it is feared could lead to job internal announcement made to staff, seen by the BBC, states there would be a "reduction in posts" and the university's four colleges would be merged into two as part of the plans.A spokesperson for the University of Derby said the changes were to "ensure the university's long-term sustainability".UNISON East Midlands head of higher education Elliot Dean said: "Cutting these jobs will hit Derby hard." "You can't provide a first-class university experience without the people who make it happen," he added."Fewer staff means poorer services, less support for students and, ultimately, a weaker university. "Derby deserves a well-resourced institution that invests in its people, not one that trims away the very teams who bring learning and innovation to life."UNISON said it was in the early stages of negotiations with the university and the number of redundancies has not yet been internal email sent to staff states the planned merging of the university colleges would be effective from 1 August this current four colleges will become two - the College of Health and Humanities and the College of Science and adds: "As part of these proposals, we are reviewing academic leadership roles in areas where the change to our colleges will mean we have duplication. "We are also looking at downsizing our professional services management and leadership to align closer to our student base. "Regrettably, this includes some reduction in posts. Those directly affected have already been contacted, and we are now in consultation with them and the relevant unions." 'Gold standard teaching' A spokesperson at the University of Derby said: "We are the only university in the city and county, contributing millions to the economic prosperity of the region, and we have a responsibility to ensure our long-term sustainability in order to remain one of the area's largest employers and providers of higher education."To ensure we are best positioned to do this, and that we can continue to deliver an outstanding, gold standard teaching and learning experience, we have made proposals which would see us reorganising our academic colleges and aligning our professional services leadership more in line with our student population. "Some roles may well be impacted by these changes."In addition, our standalone Derby Business School, which is on track to exceed recruitment targets this year, will welcome students from across the world to Derby. "Applications are up across the board and these changes will contribute to our continued growth."The announcement has come two months after a round of redundancies were announced for research leadership roles, professors and associate move was criticised by the University and College Union (UCU), which said the cuts would "cause lasting damage to Derby's academic reputation".
