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Covid job losses show structural racism of UK labour market, says TUC

Study reveals unemployment among BAME people is double the rate for white people
The coronavirus pandemic has held up a “mirror to the structural racism” in the UK’s labour market, the TUC has said, as a study reveals that jobless rates among black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups are now double the rate for white people.
There are 1.74 million people out of work across the UK, the highest level in five years, and business shutdowns are disproportionately affecting women and ethnic minorities.
The TTUC said analysis of official unemployment statistics showed one in 10 women of colour were now out of work, and the overall BAME unemployment rate had risen from 5.8% to 9.5% between the final quarter of 2019 and the same time last year.
Over the same period, the unemployment rate for white workers rose from 3.4% to 4.5%, according to the study.The analysis comes after unions, charities and campaigners signed a joint statement calling on Boris Johnson to take action to end structural racism and inequality.
The TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, said: “This pandemic has held up a mirror to the structural racism in our labour market and wider society.” She said workers of colour had borne the brunt of the economic impact of Covid-19, losing their jobs twice as quickly as white workers.
“When BME workers have held on to their jobs, we know that they are more likely to be working in low-paid, insecure jobs that put them at greater risk from the virus. This is evidence of the structural discrimination which has led to a disproportionate BME death rate from coronavirus,” O’Grady said.
“This crisis has to be a turning point. As we emerge from the pandemic, we can’t allow these inequalities in our workplaces and our society to remain. Ministers must stop delaying and challenge the systemic racism and inequality that holds back BME people.”
Ahead of next week’s budget, research by the charitable trust Hope Not Hate also found that BAME communities had taken the hardest economic hit during the pandemic.
A poll conducted by the charity found that one in five BAME people had lost their job, with a large proportion (22%) saying this was due to the virus. In comparison, in a nationally representative poll carried out a short time earlier, 13% of white respondents polled said they had lost their job.
Thirty-four per cent of BAME people said they had their hours reduced, compared with 23% of white respondents in the national poll. A quarter of BAME people (25%) said they had applied for universal credit, and nearly one in five (19%) said they had to use a food bank.
The charity called on the chancellor to extend the furlough scheme to avoid a “cliff-edge fall” in employment. “The consistent racial inequity that we have seen throughout the pandemic – across measures of health and education outcomes and, as our polling shows, employment, financial security, housing and general wellbeing – are not random,” said Rosie Carter, the charity’s senior policy officer.
“It’s clear that more needs to be done to address systemic discrimination which underpins these growing gaps. The phrase ‘build back better’ has become the government mantra to getting the economy back on track, but there’s no way that building back can be ‘better’ unless it is also fairer.”
source: Nazia Parveen
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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