Equality move could hit white men

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/16/race.gender?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews

Ministers are preparing an equality law that would allow bosses to give
priority for jobs and promotion to women and black applicants

White men could be legally blocked from jobs or promotions under
controversial government plans to help women and black employees achieve
equality.

Employers would be allowed to give jobs to qualified minority candidates in
preference to other candidates under a change in discrimination law being
drawn up by the Equalities Minister, Harriet Harman. The 'positive action'
tactic, already used in the United States, has been a legal minefield in the
UK and Harman's plans are likely to upset MPs who believe that merit alone
should determine who is hired.

However, she believes radical changes are needed to help talented black and
female candidates break through barriers in business and public life. The
positive discrimination plan would apply only in cases where two equally
qualified candidates were after the same post, allowing the employer to tip
the balance in favour of the minority candidate on grounds of race or
gender.

The proposals could also let universities select more female students in
traditionally male-dominated subjects, such as the sciences.

However, they are controversial even among some equal rights campaigners,
who argue they will have a limited effect and that action on equal pay is
more important. 'How you would really hold that up in a court of law is not
clear and, if it isn't, employers may be reluctant to use it. You are
probably talking about a handful of cases,' said Katherine Rake of the
Fawcett Society, which campaigns on equal pay.

Employers can currently specify that they welcome applications from minority
candidates, and promote themselves to specific groups. However, Avon Fire
Service, whose firefighters are 97 per cent white and male, triggered a
storm of protest this year when it barred white applicants from an open day.

The equalities bill would give new rights to mothers to breastfeed in public
places such as cafes and trains and require golf clubs to give women players
equal access. She is also pushing for powers to force companies to conduct
so-called pay audits, reviewing staff salaries to ensure they are not
underpaying women, but this has met stiff resistance within the cabinet.

Ministers are worried about a backlash from business over any changes on
equal pay, but Harman is under pressure to match commitments from the Tories
to introduce compulsory pay audits for employers that have been successfully
sued by female employees.

Harman, who addressed the TUC women's conference in Eastbourne last week,
told delegates she was still thinking about the issue of pay audits. A
review by Labour peer Baroness Prosser two years ago concluded that the main
cause of unfair pay was not outright sexism but problems such as women
opting for lower-paid professions or mothers choosing to go part-time.


--
Never trust a woman, how can you trust something that bleeds every 28 days
and doesn't die!!!



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