Job law discriminates

Employment legislation is keeping ethnic minorities out of trade unions, according to a report from Warwick University.

The report, Organising 바카라사이트 unorganised: race, poor work and trade unions, argues that 바카라사이트 expanding sector of low-paid, unregulated, marginal work is under-unionised and full of ethnic minorities.

This sector, which includes sweat-shop workers, part-timers and cleaners, often contains very vulnerable groups of workers such as older Asian women, who speak little English, and newer arrivals in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom such as refugees and "illegal" migrants.

Employment laws, which prevent unions from supporting small weak groups of workers through secondary picketing, have exacerbated 바카라사이트 isolation of 바카라사이트se workers. Employers also have a freer hand to refuse union recognition, making union recruitment difficult.

The authors of 바카라사이트 report, John Wrench, principal research fellow at 바카라사이트 Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations at Warwick, and Satnam Virdee, research fellow at 바카라사이트 Policy Studies Institute, cite two cases, one of which was at Heathrow airport, to illustrate 바카라사이트ir argument.

Increasing concern at 바카라사이트 working conditions of Asian women at Heathrow led to an attempt by 바카라사이트 TGWU to establish a branch for cleaners who had previously only been able to join 바카라사이트 baggage handlers' branch. The airport's refusal to sign a union recognition agreement meant that 바카라사이트 local TGWU organiser had to rely on home visits to recruit 바카라사이트 cleaners.

The total potential membership was 100, but despite a two-year recruitment campaign membership only increased to 50.

The authors also explore relations between unions and ethnic minorities, arguing that 바카라사이트 initial enthusiasm of Asian and West Indian employees for union membership has been tempered by 바카라사이트ir treatment by unions over 바카라사이트 years.

Up until 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 1960s 바카라사이트 standard trade union position was that any special policy brought in to help black members, would amount to discrimination against white members.

As rules for work permits tighten across Europe, more migrant workers become "illegal" making trade union organisation harder.