Diana Holland acknowledges that our society may be a fairer one now than 20 years ago, but insists the battle to overcome discrimination is very far from over
THIS summer, the Government’s “Framework for a Fairer Future – The Equality Bill” was launched. In response to widespread dismay at initial plans simply to bring together existing anti-discrimination legilsation, the bill includes some important moves forward and paves the way for further much-needed action in the future.
The past 10 years have seen improvements on equality rights only matched by those in the 1970s, when the Equal Pay, Sex Discrimination and Race Relations Acts were introduced. These laws made a big difference. It is shocking to those born more recently to learn that it was lawful to force a woman to leave her job just because she was pregnant or got married, to pay her less or not give her a job in the first place. At this time, there were also signs openly stating no black or Irish people need even apply. Many people still live with the impact of those days on their own and their families’ life chances and lifetime income.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, foundations for greater quality have been built on with new rights on discrimination, including on grounds of disability, of age, sexual orientation, religion and belief, non-religion and non-belief, and transgender status. As a union officer, I still live with the hidden stories of lesbian and gay members being harassed or in fear of losing their jobs when they had no legal protection. Increasingly, too, developments recognise that the 1970s rights concentrated on individuals, whereas discrimination and inequality is often collective.
The public sector duties to promote equality on grounds of gender, race and disability take the pressure off individuals and require action on structural and collective issues. They also recognise that waiting until you are discriminated against and then addressing the discrimination is too late. As with health and safety, you make the workplace safe and prevent accidents; so with equality, you need to promote fairness and prevent discrimination and unequal pay. But this needs to extend to all sectors.
As a campaigner for equality for more than 20 years on behalf of Unite and previously the Transport and General Workers’ Union, I know more is needed – union equality reps are a breakthrough at the workplace, but they need statutory rights to time off and training as well as support; equal pay audits and the duty to promote equality should include the private sector beyond those carrying out public contracts; and we need greater recognition of collective cases of discrimination and inequality.
This is a serious and important debate which affects people’s pay, pensions, jobs, safety and dignity. The immediate media backlash when the Equality Bill was announced and the threat posed by the horrifying responses of right and far-right politicians remind us yet again that this struggle is not over.
In the year of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we can all celebrate equality advances and just as importantly, pledge to continue that struggle together.
Diana Holland is assistant general secretary equalities and organising of Unite
