A NEW poll has found that workers from black and minority ethnic backgrounds are more likely than others to say they have been unfairly turned down for work.

Just 19% of white workers feel they have missed out on a job unfairly, compared to 33% of black and minority ethnic workers, information from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) reveals.

The poll also revealed that black and minority ethnic workers are more likely to feel they’ve missed out on pay rises and promotions – though the gap between white and non-white workers is less stark in this respect.

While 22% of white workers say they have been unfairly overlooked for a pay rise, 29% of black and minority ethnic workers say the same.

Similarly, while 21% of white workers think they have been unfairly overlooked for promotion, 28% of black and minority ethnic workers feel this way.

Dr Patrick Roach, who heads up the anti-racism task force at the union said: “The evidence of racism at work is incontrovertible. 

“Black workers have been denied the opportunities to secure decent, rewarding and secure jobs, and this situation is getting worse as a result of the adverse economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Structural racism is holding back communities and blighting life chances. A national plan is needed urgently to end racial disparities in employment by addressing the root causes head on.” 

To tackle these issues, the TUC is asking that ethnicity pay gap reporting becomes mandatory. This follows calls from campaigner Dianne Greyson on January 7 this year.

They also believe a national action plan, that ensures black and minority ethnic workers are treated fairly is required.

Job insecurity

The poll also suggests that the rising popularity of insecure contracts disproportionately affects our community.

Workers from black and minority ethnic backgrounds are nearly twice as likely to say they have been kept on insecure contracts, while their colleagues have not been.

To tackle this inequality, the TUC is also asking that zero hours contracts are banned, as they believe this will positively impact black and minority ethnic workers.

Ambitious

Career growth and progression also seem very important for black and minority ethnic workers. Of those surveyed, 21% prioritised jobs with career progression. In contrast, just 11% of white workers said they did the same.

There is a similar difference when it comes to choosing jobs that provide them with training opportunities. While 15% of black and minority ethnic workers prioritise work that will offer them training opportunities, just 8% of white workers said the same.

The trade union believes this may be because workers from these backgrounds are more likely to be in work that does not give them the chance to move up.

Worse conditions

It is disappointing employers may also be telling more black and minority ethnic workers that their livelihood is at risk if they do not accept worse conditions or re-apply for their roles.

15% of black and minority ethnic workers report facing this, compared to 8% of white workers.

The trade union’s anti-racism task force will speak more to workers to learn about their experiences at the Black workers’ conference this weekend.

A representative sample of 2,231 workers were polled in The Britain Thinks online survey.

Find out more about the polling here.