Reform UK won control of 10 local councils last week, giving this new political party the power to start rolling back rights and protections.
This is a party that wants to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and introduce a new “British Bill of Rights” to replace the Human Rights Act 1998 – a very troubling prospect considering the last time a right-wing party was in power and tried to do this it framed human rights as unnecessary bureaucracy.
Changes made by Reform UK could quickly affect local authority staff and workers. Already staff are facing a ban on working from home.
The party’s announcement of intended funding cuts for specialist Diversity, Equity, Equality, and Inclusion roles, coupled with the pledge to ban flags representing solidarity, is active endorsement of the oppression of people of any difference. Indeed, the new mayor for Greater Lincolnshire says we should put migrants in tents because hotels are too good for them.
We must stand together firmly, as both social workers and trade unionists, and reject this division which seeks to weaken us as a movement.
Reform UK is trying to divide our communities through messages of hatred, blame, and othering. Last month’s Supreme Court ruling that the legal definitions of a ‘man’ and ‘woman’ under the Equality Act 2010 are based exclusively on biological sex assigned at birth, not gender identity, sets a misguided and dangerous mandate for parties such as Reform UK to capitalise on discrimination, curtailing civil and human rights.
The Social Workers Union (SWU), as social workers and trade unionists, stands together in solidarity with communities demanding equal rights and dignity for all people. SWU agrees with the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) that now, more than ever, it is crucial to uphold the core ethics of social work which are rooted in an unwavering commitment to human rights, equality, and resisting oppression.
SWU is committed to the practice of Diversity, Equity, Equality, and Inclusion in social work practice and places of work. SWU will continue to advocate for a healthier, happier workforce and this includes calling on social work employers to embrace flexible working and implement effective reflective supervision.
SWU is here for our members, and we will fight for social workers and for the people they support.
We recognise this will be a time of serious concern and worry for many social workers, other colleagues, and the people they work with. Any social worker in the UK is welcome to join SWU and receive expert advice and support on issues affecting employment including compromise of health and safety at work, harassment, and bullying.
SWU is a union for social justice and, accordingly, we have a unique campaign fund that any member can access, propose a campaign, and be actively involved in planning and delivering change with the assistance of The Campaign Collective. If you have an idea for a campaign then we encourage you to submit a campaign application form.
Join a union. Join your professional association. Check in with your colleagues to see if they need support. We’re stronger together.