A legacy of ‘structural racism’ means that one in six black and ethnic minority workers are in insecure jobs, according to the TUC.
The trade union body’s analysis of labour force figures shows that insecure work (including zero-hours contracts, low-paid self-employment and casual work) rose almost three times faster than secure work under the Conservative government.
Workers from an ethnic minority background have borne the brunt of this trend, the TUC said, with the number in insecure work at a record high of 878,000.
In 2011, around 360,200 ethnic minority workers were in insecure employment, so this has more than doubled in the space of 12 years.
This increase of 144% was around 8.5 times the increase in the proportion of white workers in insecure work (an increase of 17%) over the same period, the TUC found.
And while around one in six black and ethnic minority workers are in precarious roles, one in nine white workers are. This is “structural racism in action”, according to the TUC.
Insecure work increased for all groups, increasing by almost a million between 2011 and 2023 to 4.1 million. TUC’s analysis showed that while the numbers in insecure work increased by 31%, those in secure jobs increased by just 11%.
The TUC said that ethnic minority workers were held back due to discrimination in recruitment processes, fewer opportunities for training and development compared to white colleagues, being unfairly disciplined and forced into roles with less favourable terms and conditions or pay.
General secretary Paul Nowak said: “The massive and disproportionate concentration of BME workers in insecure work is structural racism in action.
“Too many BME workers are trapped in low-paid, insecure jobs with limited rights and protections, and treated like disposable labour.
“Labour’s election victory is a welcome chance to tackle the systemic discrimination that holds BME workers back and to usher in a fresh start for hard-pressed working families.”
He said the government’s Employment Rights Bill could be a “game changer” in tackling insecure work by banning zero-hours contracts and offering workers employment rights from their first day.
Nowak added: “This is a historic opportunity to address inequality in the labour market and set the nation on course for a better future. We must grab it.”
The TUC’s analysis also found that all groups in insecure work face a pay penalty compared to other workers.
People on zero-hours contracts earn more than a third (35%) less an hour than other workers, and the pay gap between workers in seasonal (33%) and casual (37%) roles compared with secure roles is at a similar level.
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