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The unemployment rate for Black and minority ethnic (BME) workers has risen at three times the speed of the unemployment rate for white workers, according to TUC analysis of new ONS employment figures published this morning (Tuesday).
  • TUC analysis of today’s ONS figures show BME unemployment rate has increased by 41% to 8.9% over the last year – compared to a 14% increase in the white unemployment rate to 4.1% 

  • 1 in 11 BME people are now unemployed 

  • Union body calls on ministers to act now to tackle structural discrimination in jobs market 

The unemployment rate for Black and minority ethnic (BME) workers has risen at three times the speed of the unemployment rate for white workers, according to TUC analysis of new ONS employment figures published this morning (Tuesday). 

The analysis reveals that: 

  • The BME unemployment rate shot up from 6.3% to 8.9% between the first quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021, an increase of 41%. 

  • Over the same period the unemployment rate for white workers rose from 3.6% to 4.1%, an increase of 14%. 

  • Around 1 in 11 (8.9%) BME workers are now unemployed, compared to 1 in 25 (4.1%) of white workers. 

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everyone deserves a decent and secure job. But Covid-19 has shone a light on the discrimination in our labour market. 

“BME workers have borne the brunt of the pandemic. They’ve been more likely to work in industries like hospitality and retail that have been hit hard by unemployment. 

“And when BME workers have held on to their jobs, we know that they are more likely to be in low-paid, insecure work that has put them at greater risk from the virus. This structural discrimination has led to a disproportionate BME death rate from coronavirus.  

“Now we are emerging from the pandemic, we can’t allow these inequalities. Ministers must hold down unemployment, create good new jobs and challenge the systematic discrimination that holds BME workers back.” 

Government must act 

The TUC is calling on government to: 

  • Create good new jobs. We could create 1.2 million new jobs in the next two years in clean green infrastructure, and by unlocking public sector vacancies. 

  • Introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting and make employers publish action plans to ensure fair wages for BME workers in the workplace. 

  • Ban zero-hours contracts and strengthen the rights of insecure workers – which will have a disproportionate impact on BME workers. 

  • Publish all the equality impact assessments related to its response to Covid-19 and be transparent about how it considers BME communities in policy decisions. 

  • Give more financial support for people who have lost their jobs. Without a boost to universal credit, many will be pushed into poverty. 

Editors note

- The TUC analysis is based on today’s labour market statistics from the ONS which are available here: www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/may2021  

  

Unemployment rate Jan-March 2020 

Unemployment rate Jan-March 2021 

Percentage change in unemployment rate (%) 

Employment rate Jan-March 2021 (%) 

All 

3.9 

4.7 

19 

75.2 

White 

3.6 

4.1 

15 

76.3 

BME 

6.3 

8.9 

41 

68.1 

All women 

3.7 

4.5 

21 

72.3 

White women 

3.3 

3.7 

14 

73.9 

BME women 

6.8 

10.0 

48 

61.8 

All men 

4.2 

4.9 

18 

78.1 

White men 

3.9 

4.5 

15 

78.6 

BME men 

5.8 

7.8 

34 

74.9 

- Exceeding worse-case scenarios: The Office for Budget Responsibility has forecast that the unemployment rate for all workers will peak at 6.5% in Q4, 2021: https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/the-economy-forecast/labour-market/#unemployment 

But today’s TUC analysis reveals that the number of BME people out of work is now far exceeding this worst-case scenario prediction. The BME unemployment rate now stands at 8.9%, compared to 4.1% for white people. 

- Anti-racism task force: The TUC has launched an anti-racism task force, chaired by NASUWT General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach, to tackle the structural racism with the labour market – and wider society. The task force will lead the trade union movement’s renewed campaign against racism at work. It will engage with Black workers across the UK to hear about their experiences. And it will produce recommendations on tackling structural racism in the UK, in workplaces and in unions themselves.  

- The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together more than 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. 

Contacts: 

TUC press office  
media@tuc.org.uk   
020 7467 1248  

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