Calls to address racial inequalities in the Scottish workplace

The STUC’s Black Workers’ Committee has written to public sector organisations asking them to share information and take actions concerning recruitment, retention and progression challenges facing people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Last week the STUC launched the Break The Race Ceiling campaign during a Black Lives Matter event and has now written to chief executives and directors in public sector organisations, asking them what actions they are taking.

The chair of the STUC Black Workers’ Committee, Usman Ali, said: “Our diverse communities must be reflected in our public services, and at every level from top to bottom.

“The STUC Black Workers’ Committee has been mandated by our 2019 conference to formulate and call for strong action to address this major discrimination facing Scotland today.

“An important point to express at this time, is that our campaign is not calling for Black and Minority Ethnic people to be given any higher preference or special treatment.

“Instead, we are calling for Black and Minority Ethnic people to truly be given equality of opportunity and access to a level playing field where they have the confidence, skills, and opportunities to build prosperous and successful careers.

“We are also calling for action to be taken so that Black and Minority Ethnic young people growing up in Scotland today can see that people like them can work at all levels in the Scottish Public sector, inspiring a future generation of Scottish public servants.

“This is why the STUC Black Workers’ Committee have now launched our Break The Race Ceiling campaign looking at Black and Minority Ethnic recruitment, retention, and progression across the whole Scottish Public Sector.”  

The campaign has been recognised in a Scottish Parliament motion which has been supported by more than 20 MSPs from various parties. A similar motion has also been lodged at Westminster.