TUC calls for employment law change to promote equality

Posted 15/01/2010

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has urged the government to revise employment law relating to equality in order to create a fairer climate for ethnic minority workers in the private sector.

Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, has raised concern that current laws are causing private company bosses to be more preoccupied with avoiding discrimination complaints, rather than pursuing true equality.

He suggested this contrasts poorly with the progress made in the public sector, where a legal duty to promote racial equality has led to much more favourable conditions for minority staff.

Mr Barber therefore suggested that this duty be extended into the private sector in order to help prevent black or Asian workers from being passed over for promotion or employment.

He said this change “would make those employers whose discriminatory views belong to another century change the way they operate”.

Earlier this week, trade union Unite accused IT services firm Fujitsu of discriminating against female, minority and part-time workers when selecting for redundancy.