UNITED NATIONS • Forum on Minority Issues
D.
Trade unions
48. Trade unions should recruit and be supportive of minority workers, including
tackling the problems of minorities in the labour force. They should extend their efforts
to economic sectors where minorities are often found. Negotiation of collective
agreements should systematically take minority interests into account.
49. Trade unions should extend institutional, legal and advocacy support to
informal economy workers where minority groups may be concentrated, including to
domestic workers, agricultural labourers and street vendors. Efforts can be made to
enable workers in these sectors and all other relevant sectors to establish
representative networks or organizations, including with the support of meeting
space, legal advice, start-up funds or advice on institution-building.
50. Trade unions should ensure the full, effective and equal participation of minority
union members in leadership and decision-making structures of the union. They should
ensure that information on trade union activities is accessible to minorities, including
through translation into relevant minority languages or outreach to minority media outlets.
51. Trade unions should survey union members to identify issues of discrimination
on the basis of minority identity, including multiple and intersecting forms of
discrimination on the basis of sex, age, disability, sexual orientation and gender
identity, that have affected equal access to employment and labour rights. Trade
unions should establish task forces to develop plans of action to eradicate labour
practices that discriminate against minorities.
E.
Private business sector, including national
and transnational corporations
52. All business enterprises should ensure that their operations comply with
national and international labour standards. Employers should ensure that persons
from minority groups have access to their labour rights without discrimination,
including in the areas of hiring, remuneration, promotion, the right to join and form
trade unions and to take part in their activities, access to employment tribunals,
maternity leave, childcare and pensions.
53. Employers should aim for a workforce that reflects the ethnic, religious and
linguistic diversity of the national or local population. Job vacancies should be advertised
in local minority media outlets and recruitment drives should reach out to local community
organizations. Companies also should adopt affirmative programmes and special
retention initiatives, and consider the creation of designated traineeships for persons
belonging to minorities. Businesses should train employees on non-discrimination,
minority rights and cultural awareness and, where appropriate, offer services in minority
languages. The appointment of data protection officers should be encouraged.
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Compilation of Recommendations of the First Four Sessions 2008 to 2011