ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a critical analysis of the historical and contemporary relationship between black labour and the British trade union movement. It describes the industrial action taken by black workers from the mid-1960s against racist exclusionary practices and the continued failure of the organised labour movement to support such action. The chapter discusses the contemporary relationship between white and black labour during an era which has witnessed a weakening of trade unionism. The first evidence of organised resistance to racism and exclusionary practices in the workplace emerged shortly afterwards. The high-point of black self-organisation as a strategy to combat racism and exclusionary practices was the Mansfield Hosiery Mills dispute which took place in the East Midlands in October 1972. Anti-racist trade unionists have not only pressed individual trade unions to adopt more positive policies towards the tackling of racism, but also the Trade Union Congress.
