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Commenting on the announcement that the Labour party would introduce a Race Equality Act which would include mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak yesterday said:

“We all deserve to be treated fairly at work.   

“But the structural racism in our jobs market means that too many Black and minority ethnic workers are trapped in low-paid jobs, with limited rights and precious little opportunity for progression. 

“And this Tory government has done nothing to change that. 

“Labour’s Race Equality Act would be a welcome step forward for BME workers. 

“It would finally start to tackle the discrimination that holds BME workers back by introducing a new duty on employers to report their ethnicity pay gaps.   

“Everyone should have access, to a decent, secure job.” 

Head of the TUC’s anti-racism taskforce NASUWT General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach yesterday said: 

“Racial injustice at work is damaging lives, wasting talent, and holding back the country’s economic future. 

“Black workers have a right to expect that they will be treated with dignity at work, and that they will be paid fairly, too. 

“It’s shameful that for the last 14 years, the government has done nothing to address this, but instead has presided over an economy which, for Black workers, has meant pay inequality, job insecurity and discriminatory employer practices. 

“We need a government that is committed to action to create a level playing field for all workers, identifying and rooting out racial disparities, so everyone has the same opportunity to flourish at work.” 

Disability pay gap reporting 

On Labour’s proposed introduction of mandatory disability pay gap reporting, Paul Nowak yesterday said:  

“We should all be paid fairly for the work we do. But this Tory government has continued to value disabled people less at work – and in wider society. 

“Ministers have presided over a decade of zero progress on the disability pay gap. We can’t afford to waste any more time. 

“Being disabled shouldn’t mean you are given a lower wage – or left out of the jobs market altogether.  

“Labour’s mandatory disability pay gap reporting would help shine a light on this inequality and set about resolving it.  

“Without this long overdue legislation, millions of disabled workers will be consigned to many more years of lower pay and in-work poverty.” 

TUC analysis published in November showed the pay gap between non-disabled and disabled workers is now 14.6% – higher than it was a decade ago.

Editors Note’s 

• Structural racism in the labour market: In December, TUC analysis revealed that BME women are nearly three times as likely to be on zero-hours contracts as white men:  https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/bme-women-nearly-three-times-likely-be-zero-hours-contracts-white-men  
• Disability pay gap: In November, TUC analysis revealed that the pay gap between non-disabled and disabled workers is now 14.6% – higher than it was a decade ago: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-slams-zero-progress-disability-pay-gap-last-decade  
• TUC anti-racism taskforce: For more information about the taskforce please visit: https://www.tuc.org.uk/AntiRacismTaskforce  
• About the TUC: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together the 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.