The Wales TUC joined forces with the Muslim Council of Wales (MCW) last night to recruit more Muslims into trade unions and battle racism. In a joint statement pledging to work together to combat the scourge of Islamophobia, they said that “WTUC and the Muslim Council of Wales will work together in support of workplace justice and against Islamophobia.”

The statement notes that, “by combining together, we will be able to achieve more towards those objectives we share in common than we can do by acting alone.” It stresses: “The shared belief of the MCW and Wales TUC in justice, equality and opposition to prejudice is matched by our belief that these objectives can be better achieved in the workplace. We believe it is in the interests of workers to join the appropriate trade union at their workplace and that employers should recognise such unions.”

WTUC general secretary Felicity Williams said on Monday: “Belonging to a union is the best protection an individual can have against prejudice and exploitation at work. We will also be looking at ways of promoting a greater understanding of Islam and to do all we can to combat the hatred being stirred up by extremists, particularly at election times, who are seeking to drive a wedge between Wales’s many communities.”

MCW secretary general Saleem Kidwai said: “We seek to work in partnership with the WTUC and through its networks to enhance an awareness of Islam and dispel the myths, misunderstandings and misconceptions about Islam and how the religion relates to modern society.”

The statement was published to coincide with the WTUC Challenging Racism conference 2006 today in Wrexham.

Morning Star, 31 October 2006

See also TUC press release, 31 October 2006 and MCB committee news, 31 October 2006