Unions must tackle the toxic debate around immigration

Addressing the several hundred delegates attending the annual TUC black workers’ conference at Congress House later today (Friday), TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady will say:

“Across Europe parties of the far right are expecting to make big gains in the elections which are now little more than a month away.

“Here politicians on the right are driving a debate about immigration that is becoming increasingly toxic. As a result we have an Immigration Bill that ranks as one of the most reactionary, regressive pieces of legislation in recent British history.

“More worryingly a climate of fear is slowly poisoning our national life. People are indeed worried – but not about immigrants themselves. Their biggest concern is the bosses who use cheap migrant labour to undercut people’s pay and pensions. This is what politicians should be doing something about and the TUC will continue to work with unions to counter the myths, half truths and downright lies about immigration that are sure to fly around in the run-up to next year’s general election.

“We’ll also be campaigning hard for politicians to start treating the issue of race equality with the seriousness it deserves. In the four years since the government came to power, the fight against racism – in our communities and the labour market – seems to have fallen off the radar.

“In many respects, ministers are making the problems worse. A year on from the introduction of fees for employment tribunals, the number of race discrimination claims fell by a shocking 57 per cent.

“As we step up our struggle for economic and social justice for people of every race and colour, we must give black people a sense of hope about the future. There is an alternative to austerity, privatisation and attacks on workplace rights.

“Casualisation, agency working, and zero-hours contracts have all left a particularly brutal imprint on ethnic minority workers. Back in 1993, black workers were paid around 18 per cent less than their white colleagues. But by 2008, that gap had grown to a scandalous 43 per cent. The case for action – stronger employment rights, tougher anti-discrimination measures and proper regulation of our labour market – is overwhelming.

“Something must be done to tackle the alarming levels of youth unemployment in ethnic minority communities. Ministers may boast that record numbers of people are in work, but that will come as little comfort to a black teenager desperate to get a job.

“Black workers are twice as likely to be unemployed, and the youth unemployment rate for black youngsters is almost double that for white young people. We can make a start by making drastic improvements to our apprenticeships system, so more black young people are able to take up decent career opportunities.

“But unions need to get their act together too. We must do more to recruit, organise and energise black workers. The union movement is a long way from being reflective of the diverse make-up of modern Britain. We need to increase our visibility in anti-racism campaigns, and lead the way in fighting racism, prejudice and discrimination wherever and whenever they rear their ugly heads.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The TUC’s black workers’ conference takes place from 2pm today (Friday) to 1pm on Sunday 13 April. Other speakers over the three days include Neville Lawrence, Mark Hammond, Chief Executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and Habib Rahman, Chief Executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants. Delegates attending will discuss a range of topical motions including the ongoing impact of austerity, changes to the employment tribunal system and the debate around immigration.

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

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Contacts:

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Liz Chinchen   T: 020 7467 1248    M: 07778 158175    E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth    T: 020 7467 1372    M: 07717 531150     E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk