The unemployment rate for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) workers is more than double that of white workers, a new analysis published last Friday (26) by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) revealed.
The study of the most recent ONS labour market statistics pointed out that the BAME unemployment rate stood at 6.9 per cent last year, compared to 3.2 per cent for white workers. It said that BAME women face an unemployment rate of 8.1 per cent, compared to 2.8 per cent for white women, nearly three (2.9) times higher. The study was conducted as part of the TUC’s Black workers’ conference which started last Friday in London, a statement said.
According to the union, the situation is worse now than in 2008 when the unemployment rate for BAME women was 2.3 times higher than for white women. The TUC has appealed to end the structural discrimination and inequalities in employment sector.
It also wanted to introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting and urged employers to publish an action plan on how they will close their pay gap and ensure pay parity between black and white workers. The TUC also demanded to ban zero-hours contracts, will disproportionately benefit BAME workers. Under zero-hours contracts workers never know how much they will earn each week, and their income is subject to the whims of managers.
The other demands of the union include getting rid of insecure work as BAME workers are more likely to experience insecure and poor-quality work, raising the floor of rights for everyone, introducing fair pay agreements across the economy and giving workers the right to access their union on-site would also improve rights for all.
“It’s not right that the unemployment rate is more than twice as high for BAME workers as their white peers. There’s no hiding from the fact that racism still plays a huge part in our jobs market,” said Paul Nowak, general secretary, TUC.
“Ministers must take bold action to confront this inequality. The obvious first step is forcing bigger companies to disclose their ethnicity pay gaps. This will make employers confront the inequalities in their own workforces – and act to fix them. Business and unions are united in their support for compulsory pay gap monitoring. Ministers must bring it in without delay.”
TUC black workers’ conference is one of the biggest gatherings of black workers in the UK. US trade unionist Chris Smalls, known for his organising work with Amazon, will speak at the event along with Nowak.
Topics such as racism and inequality, the cost-of-living crisis, ethnicity pay gap reporting, and migrant workers and immigration will be discussed during the conference.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)