Racism Still Plays Huge Part in Employment Market, Reports TUC

Racism still plays a huge part in the UK’s jobs market, according to the Trace Union Congress’ (TUC) latest report, which revealed that the unemployment rate for Black, minority and ethnic workers is more than double that of White workers.  

New analysis published by the TUC found that the unemployment rate for Black, minority and ethnic (BME) workers is currently 2.2 times that of white workers. Analysis of the most recent ONS labour market statistics also showed that the BME unemployment rate stood at 6.9% in 2022, compared to 3.2% for White workers. 

BLACK, MINORITY & ETHNIC WOMEN HARDEST HIT

The analysis shows BME women workers face an even bigger penalty with an unemployment rate, which is nearly three (2.9) times higher than white women. The unemployment rate for BME women is 8.1%, compared to 2.8% for White women.  

The TUC said the situation is worse now than in 2008 when the unemployment rate for BME women was 2.3 times higher than for White women.  

GOVERNMENT ACTION NEEDED 

The TUC is calling for an end to the structural discrimination and inequalities that hold BME people back at work. The union body wants ministers to act to improve the experience of BME workers at work, including:  

• Introducing mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting. Business and unions are united in their support for compulsory ethnicity pay gap monitoring.
• Alongside publishing the raw data, every employer must publish an action plan setting out how they will close their pay gap and ensure pay parity between Black and White workers.
•  Getting rid of insecure work. BME workers are significantly more likely to experience insecure and poor-quality work. Raising the floor of rights for everyone – by, for example, banning zero-hours contracts – will disproportionately benefit BME workers.
• Reversing outsourcing, introducing fair pay agreements across the economy and giving workers the right to access their union on-site would also improve rights for all. 

TIME TO CONFRONT INEQUALITY

“It’s not right that the unemployment rate is more than twice as high for BME workers as their White peers. There’s no hiding from the fact that racism still plays a huge part in our jobs market,” stated TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak. “Ministers must take bold action to confront this inequality. The obvious first step is forcing bigger companies to disclose their ethnicity pay gaps. This will make employers confront the inequalities in their own workforces – and act to fix them. Business and unions are united in their support for compulsory pay gap monitoring. Ministers must bring it in without delay.”  

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