The British Sikh
Federation (BSF) has urged Wolverhampton Borough Council to stop its massive
jobs racial discrimination against Asians (Sikh, Bangladeshi, Indian,
Pakistani), which has led to a shortfall in at least 700 jobs for Asians on a
population proportion basis alone, see attached spreadsheet. After a 2 year
investigation, during which time Wolverhampton Council used various delaying
and denial of information tactics, the BSF has urged the Council to provide
explanations and take the following actions: -
1. Why is it that Asians (Sikh,
Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani) got 699 jobs less, whilst blacks were given 124
more jobs, on the basis of population proportions alone? Asians would have been
expected to get a higher proportion of jobs, since their population levels were
higher than blacks, and also because Indians and Sikhs have higher educational
achievement rates than other ethnic groups, e.g. according to the Government
Office for National Statistics the rates for young adults studying at degree
level are Sikhs/Indians (29%), Whites
(14%), Blacks (12%).
2. What positive action plans will be put
in place to ensure that Asians do not continue to suffer getting less than
their fair share of jobs?
3. What targets will be put in place for
Asians and blacks for recruitment, retention, progression, and delivery of
services? Separate targets need to be put in place for Asians and blacks, in
order to ensure that Asians get their fair share of jobs.
When setting targets,
relevant factors should be taken into account, e.g. population levels,
educational achievement rates, economic activity rates, etc.
4. What targets have been set for Asians
for the higher job grades? We would expect Indians and Sikhs to have a higher
proportion of jobs than just on the basis of population levels, since their
educational achievement rates were higher than for other ethnic groups.
5. When will Wolverhampton Council monitor
Sikhs as a separate ethnic group, and thereby end its racial discrimination
against them? Other Councils, with smaller Sikh communities, have created a
separate ethnic group category for Sikhs. Other Councils have created other
ethnic group categories as well, e.g. Somali, Greek Cypriot, Tamil, etc., and
not just the usual categories, so that they would not suffer racial
discrimination. All 3 Wolverhampton MPs and MEP have urged Wolverhampton
Council to do so.
For further information please contact:-
1. Kashmir Singh LL.B, LL.M 0421-507055 20 March 2000
2. Sukhvinder Singh B.Sc 0121-451-2227
/ 0973-439227 (M)/ 01922-448594
3. Savraj Singh Bains BA, MA 01902-821311 /
01902-337357 / 0797-0647215 (M)
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Wolverhampton
Metropolitan Borough Council |
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Ethnic
Group |
Employees |
Jobs % |
1991
Census |
1991
Census |
1991
Census |
Difference
in |
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Category |
in
Council |
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Population |
% |
Expected
Jobs |
job
numbers |
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White |
8,343 |
83.16 |
201,644 |
81.14 |
8,140 |
203 |
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Black -
Caribbean |
572 |
5.70 |
10,364 |
4.17 |
418 |
154 |
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Black -
African |
7 |
0.07 |
319 |
0.13 |
13 |
- 6 |
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Black -
Other |
67 |
0.67 |
2,255 |
0.91 |
91 |
- 24 |
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Indian |
552 |
5.50 |
28,887 |
11.62 |
1,166 |
- 614 |
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Pakistani |
32 |
0.32 |
2,074 |
0.83 |
84 |
- 52 |
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Bangladeshi |
5 |
0.05 |
187 |
0.08 |
8 |
- 3 |
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Chinese |
6 |
0.06 |
395 |
0.16 |
16 |
- 10 |
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Other
Asian |
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- |
746 |
0.30 |
30 |
- 30 |
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Other -
Other |
79 |
0.79 |
1,630 |
0.66 |
66 |
13 |
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Non Coded |
369 |
3.68 |
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- |
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Totals |
10,032 |
100.00 |
248,501 |
100.00 |
10,032 |
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Note |
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1.
Employee figures were provided by Wolverhampton Council for 2/12/99 |
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2. Blacks
get 124 jobs more than the 1991 Census population Proportion (154 - 6 - 24 =
124) |
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3. Asians
get 699 jobs less than the 1991 Census population Proportion (-614 -52 -3 -
30 = -699) |
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Government
Office for National Statistics |
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Young
Adults (19-24) studying for first or higher degrees in Great Britain, Spring
1995 |
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Ethnic
Group |
% |
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Category |
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Black |
12 |
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Sikh /
Indian |
29 |
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Pakistani
/ |
14 |
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Bangladeshi |
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Other
ethnic |
30 |
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minorities |
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