businessissues
home is where
the heart is
Leading discrimination lawyer Eleanor Williams,of Darwin Gray Solicitors, recently
gave a speech in Paris at the launch of a French initiative to combat race
discrimination in employment. It opened her eyes to a central aspect of British culture.
The British have a very particular during its final six months, 43 per cent
attitude to where they live.This of which related to issues of
struck me as I was preparing to employment.
speak to a seminar organised in The CRE was replaced by the
Paris by AFIP,an association which Equality and Human Rights
helps to establish racial integration Commission last October. Before it
in professional life. closed its doors, it published a
Take, for example, our word document entitled Alot done – a lot to
‘home’. Although similar concepts do. This report concluded that we
exist in other languages, our word must all accept responsibility when it
‘home’ tends to be unique. After all, it comes to creating a dynamic society
does not simply mean our dwelling. It in which everyone feels that they have
has connotations of safety, familiarity an integral role to play.
and cosiness. Here in Britain, ‘home’ Seamlessly, this cause has been
is central to our feeling of well-being. taken up by the EHRC since taking
Evidence that people, including over this portfolio.
those from ethnic minority It commissioned a poll into
communities, feel more at home in the discrimination which found that 46 per
UK than they used to, is to be found in cent of people in the UK believe that
litigation statistics. they themselves have faced unfair
Last year, more claims than ever discrimination.
were made to Employment Tribunals When asked why people are most
for race discrimination claims. The likely to be discriminated against, a
23.7 per cent increase demonstrates staggering 66 per cent of respondentsAs an employment lawyer, I
that claimants no longer find thought it was because of ethnicrecognise that work is central to our
discriminatory behaviour acceptable. background. Afurther question dealtsense of well-being, our feeling of
And they are serious – the with where this discrimination wasbeing ‘at home’.
average award for a race most likely to occur. The answer againSo, when the Rowntree findings
discrimination claim tops the £30,000 was unequivocal; 74 per cent ofare coupled with facts such as those
mark. But perhaps of more people surveyed thought it would be inof the Office of National Statistics
significance than any financial penalty, the workplace.
showing that the unemployment ratethe increase shows that claimants It may be that Wales is in the lead
for ethnic minorities is more than 11believe they have a right to feel ‘at in combating this form of
per cent – twice the national averagehome’ in this country. discrimination.
– a worrying picture forms.However, the struggle for total Take the issue of the Welsh
Contributing to this is the fact thatinclusion continues. language for instance.
the same statistics show that a blackThe Joseph Rowntree Foundation There are thousands of children
person is three times more likely to behas published statistics which show from ethnic minority backgrounds
out of work than a white person. Thethat in 2004, white men were paid an undergoing Welsh medium education
Commission for Racial Equalityaverage of £1.80 per hour more than in Wales. Through speaking the Welsh
ethnic minority men. received more than 5,000 complaints language, perhaps they feel more ‘at
20-21
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