In today’s ‘The week that was…’ – government announces repeal of third-party harassment provisions from the Equality Act 2010 and two interesting articles question whether racial discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace are things of the past.
Last week, the government announced that it would remove third-party harassment provisions from the Equality Act 2010. Jo Swinson, minister for employment relations and consumer affairs, said: “The changes to the act will help strengthen the business environment and boost confidence, by sweeping away needless bureaucracy and out-of-date rules.” However, the announcement has not received positive comments from the Trades Union Congress (TUC). TUC’s general secretary Brendan Barber said: “Today’s U-turns make a mockery of the claim that equality is at the heart of this coalition government.”
Revelations over the last couple of weeks accusing Jimmy Saville of child abuse have prompted accounts of sexual harassment at work during the 70s and 80s. Kira Cochrane of the Guardian asks – is office harassment really a thing of the past? It is usually assumed that a combination of growing awareness, women’s economic power and strengthened legislation has eliminated the problem. However, both anecdotal and statistical evidence suggests otherwise.
Another interesting article in the Guardian asks, has racial discrimination been eradicated from the workplace? Hugh Muir writes, “To survive as a visible minority in the workplaces of the 70s and 80s required the ability to manoeuvre strange and occasionally hostile territory. It doesn’t feel like that now, but that’s not to say it might not feel like that for others.” Linda Bellos, chair of the Institute of Equality and Diversity Practitioners, says class plays a determining role in determining whether you fit in and how you are treated.
Got something to add? Please write to Equality.and.Diversity@lse.ac.uk.