| Racism holding back progression for educated black workers |
| Friday, April 15, 2005 |
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Deborah Gabriel |
White employees feel black workers not interested in promotion
According to the TUC report, black British women are more likely to be offered workplace training than white female employees
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Black Enterprise spoke with employment and human resources lecturer and consultant, Gil Robinson who provides diversity training to organisations as well as lecturing on race and gender issues.
Mr Robinson said that the figures were of no surprise: “because of the still remarkably high levels of race discrimination that exists within organisations, in both the private and public sector.”
He said that racism is the reason that some white workers believe that black employees are not interested in “upward mobility.”
“This of course ties in with the stereotypes that presently exists that black workers are more or less ignorant and are not able to cope with management responsibilities.”
Mr Robinson told Black Enterprise that someone employers are simply not willing to invest the capital required in training for black workers because training is expensive and they are only willing to provide it for employees they deem capable.
The TUC states that where black and minority ethnic workers are trade union members, access to training is improved.
Mr Robinson is quick to point out that: “Black workers have a higher propensity to be members of trade unions…therefore the TUC are securing their positions on the fact that black workers are more supportive than their white counterparts to trade union activity.”
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