Usdaw is joining forces with the UK’s leading anti-racism educational charity Show Racism the Red Card to promote their Wear Red Day in workplaces across the UK this Friday 18 October 2019.
 
Hate crime is defined as an offence which the victim or any other person considers to be driven by hostility towards their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity. It can include verbal abuse, intimidation, threats, harassment, assault and bullying, as well as damage to property.
 
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Today’s hate crime figures should be a wake-up call for us all to work together to tackle the scourge of racism. Wear Red Day is a timely reminder that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Regardless of race, religious belief or national origin everyone must be allowed to go about their lives free from fear of abuse.
 
“Today’s statistics show that reported hate crimes in England and Wales have nearly trebled since 2012. Race hate crimes accounted for around three-quarters of these recorded offences. Events at the England and Bulgaria game last night, remind us all that sadly racism is very much alive and well.
 
“Across the country Usdaw reps are organising Wear Red Day events on Friday in workplaces to raise awareness and funds for educational work delivered by Show Racism the Red Card. These activities complement Usdaw’s No room for racism campaign, which involves hundreds of the union’s reps running workplace campaigns all year round; doing what our reps do best, standing up for workers at the sharp end and bringing people together. They engage members, non-members and employers with our anti-racist message - not in my name, not in my workplace.”
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 410,000 members. Membership has increased by more than one-third over the last couple of decades. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
  
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion