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1st May 2008

NEWS IN BRIEF

MIND THE GAP

The 'employment gap' between black and ethnic minority (BME) and white workers is closing steadily, but BME poverty rates are still nearly twice as high, according to a new report “Ten Years After” by the TUC.

The fastest area of growth in BME employment has been part-time work, but in the private sector this has led to a widening of the part-time pay gap between BME and white workers as it pays less than full-time work.

The report also identifies differences in pay between the public and private sector. Over the last ten years, the pay gap in the public sector has been virtually eliminated, but BME men working full-time in the private sector are still paid 11% less than white men. BME women earn the same as white women in both sectors.

Although poverty rates among BME workers has reduced in the last ten years, nearly half of black and ethnic minority children still live in poverty and are nearly twice as likely to live in poverty as white children.

In order to further boost employment rates and pay for black and ethnic minority workers, the report calls for employers to develop recruitment, retention and progression policies so that BME workers are able to move into senior positions.

To download the report, go to: www.tuc.org.uk/extras/tenyearsafter.pdf

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