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UN anti-racism day warning to Conservative government
over Strikes Bill and Retained EU law bill
The Conservatives’ “dire” record on tackling racism at work will
only get worse unless the government drops the damaging Strike
Bill and Retained EU Law Bill, the TUC has today (Tuesday)
warned.
The warning comes on UN anti-racism day, as the two pieces of
legislation continue to make their passage through parliament.
The Strikes Bill due back in the House of Lords on Thursday.
Damaging Bills must be dropped
The Strikes Bill and Retained EU Law Bill will make BME workers
more vulnerable to unfair treatment by unscrupulous employers,
according to the TUC.
If passed, the Strikes Bill will mean that when workers lawfully
vote to strike in health, education, fire, transport, border
security and nuclear decommissioning, they could be forced to
attend work – and sacked if they don’t comply.
BME workers are overrepresented in two key sectors affected by
the legislation – health and transport – and as a result, will
disproportionately hit by the Bill, according to the TUC.
The TUC adds that, under the Strikes Bill, BME workers could be
unfairly targeted for dismissal by unscrupulous employers, given
the discrimination and racism in “every corner of the labour
market”.
The Retained EU Law Bill could undermine “key protections” for
BME workers, putting them at greater risk of discrimination and
ill-treatment, when they are already at the sharp end of a labour
market rife with discrimination.
The REUL Bill will automatically start the countdown for
thousands of pieces of EU legislation currently transposed into
UK law – including vital workplace rights such as holiday pay,
rest breaks and health and safety rules protection from
discrimination.
These and many other essential protections will disappear from
the end of this year – unless Parliament passes new laws to
retain them.
Dire record on workplace racism
On UN anti-racism day, the TUC has accused the government of
failing to tackle racism at work – labelling the Conservatives’
record in government since 2010 as “dire”.
The union body says “the last thing BME workers need is
legislation which tilts the balance of power even further towards
the employer and away from them”.
TUC analysis shows BME workers are overrepresented on insecure
contracts – with BME women twice as likely to be on zero-hours
contracts as white men.
TUC research published last year found that two in five BME
people have faced racism at work in the last five years - from
“banter” and jokes, through to bullying and harassment.
The research also exposed the institutional racism at work that
hits BME workers – like being more likely to be unfairly
disciplined at work or being passed over for
promotion.
Half (49%) of BME workers told the TUC they had experienced at
least one form of discrimination consistent with institutional
racism in the last five years:
- 1 in 7 (14%) BME workers reported facing unfair criticism
- 1 in 9 (11%) said they were given an unfair performance
assessment.
- 1 in 13 (8%) told the TUC they were unfairly disciplined at
work.
- 1 in 14 (7%) said they have been subjected to excessive
surveillance or scrutiny.
- 1 in 8 (12%) of BME workers said they were denied
promotions.
- 1 in 8 (12%) of BME workers reported being given harder or
less popular work tasks than white colleagues.
- And around 1 in 11 (9%) told the TUC they had their requests
for training and development opportunities turned
down.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:
"The Conservatives have a dire record on tackling racism at work
– and it will only get worse unless they ditch the Strikes Bill
and Retained EU Law Bill.
“Too often Black and ethnic minority workers are paid less for
doing the same job as their white colleagues, too often they are
on insecure contracts and too often they are treated unfairly at
work.
“This Conservative government has turned a blind eye while
institutional racism has tightened its grip on the labour market.
“Now ministers are launching a brazen attack on the right to
strike – a fundamental British liberty – and they are threatening
to rip up key workplace protections.
“And it’s BME workers that could be hit hardest.
"These Bills will put BME workers at even greater risk from
discrimination and unfair treatment. And the Strikes Bill could
even see BME workers targeted with the sack by unscrupulous
employers.
“Ministers must do the right thing and drop these damaging Bills
before it’s too late.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- TUC Racism at Work report: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/2-5-bme-workers-experience-racism-work-new-tuc-report
