Marvin OnumonuThe Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) has called for better protection of workers’ rights to speak their native languages at work at the recent Trades Union Congress (TUC) black workers’ conference.
Three CSP delegates attended the conference at TUC Congress House, London, from 11th to 13th April.
Emelie Anekwu, a CSP member and black, asian and minority ethnic (BAME) network committee member, said: “Approximately eight per cent of the UK workforce do not speak English as their first language and it is common to speak a foreign language with colleagues who are the same nationality during breaks.”
According to Anekwu, cases of discrimination are rising among workers speaking other languages at work, with over 90% of multilingual workers reporting they had been harassed or reprimanded for speaking their first language during breaks and personal conversations.
Anekwu added: “UK law states that language is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, because language is directly linked to nationality.
“Language, therefore, being a key characteristic of an individual’s national identity, falls within the protected characteristic spectrum.”
CSP has called for the explicit inclusion of linguistic rights in workplace equality policies and law, for comprehensive guidance for unions on protecting these rights with example policies, and for the recognition of multilingual skills in job evaluations and skills frameworks.
CSP also congratulated Somerset NHS Trust and UNISON South-West on their guidance on language use at work.
Nonso Asouzu, a delegate of CSP, said: “This was my first engagement with the TUC black workers’ experience, to have the support and encouragement of the other CSP delegates and conference attendees was really important.”
