UK: Trade union TSSA and the University of the West of England have issued a call for all rail staff to take part in a survey designed to understand the state of equality and diversity in the rail industry.
The project is a follow up to a previous Equality in the Rail Industry survey undertaken in 2015. Academic analysis found that people with a disability were more likely to have suffered bullying and harassment but less likely to have made a complaint; that BAME staff were significantly more likely to be subject to disciplinary procedures; and that LGBT staff were significantly more likely to be subject to sickness monitoring procedures. Women and BAME people were less likely to be managers, and felt that employers did not offer them equal opportunities.
The research led TSSA to launch an Inclusive Rail campaign and establish a formal BAME network. Bargaining Standards for neurodiversity and LGBT+ inclusivity also followed and have now been adopted by many employers.
The new survey is intended to help the academics and the union to track trends and changes since the original survey, informing policy-making and priority campaigns for the coming five years.
‘Equality is at the heart of what we do as a union, so regardless of whether you think equality is something that affects you or not, we’re urging everyone to take part’, said TSSA Organising Director Nadine Rae on March 29. ‘We want to capture the full experience of those working in the rail industry, whatever their workplace or role. We hope to understand more about how people’s different characteristics intersect to impact their experiences at work, such as the experiences of BAME women, or LGBT+ people with disabilities’.
