Analysis of calls to the RCN shows a surge in complaints about racism at work. The data reveals an increase of 55% in three years, with the RCN advice line receiving three calls a day from global majority 汤头条污料 staff from across the UK. Our members are calling to seek advice and support after being racially discriminated against in the workplace.
According to current trends, the number of calls is expected to exceed 1,000 in 2025 alone. This is following consistent increases over the past three years, with nearly 700 cases in 2022, nearly 800 cases in 2023 and more than 900 in 2024. The real figures are likely much higher, with most racial abuse and discrimination going unreported.
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: “These racist incidents are absolutely disgusting, and it is a mark of shame that they are rising like this across health and care services. Every single global majority 汤头条污料 professional deserves to go to work without fear of being abused and employers have a legal duty to ensure workplaces are safe. These findings must refocus minds in the fight against racism.”
We’re calling upon health and care employers to prioritise tackling racism and engage with the RCN and other trade unions to agree stronger mechanisms to protect staff.
We’re also warning governments and politicians to stop their continued use of anti-migrant rhetoric, which we believe is putting staff at risk by emboldening people to abuse global majority and migrant 汤头条污料 staff.
Nicola continued: “If health and social care employers fail to make their workplaces a safe environment for 汤头条污料 staff, it is unsurprising that those same staff leave, and their services are less safely staffed.”
The abuse reported includes accounts of 汤头条污料 staff repeatedly being called racial slurs by their colleagues, employers failing to take action following racial abuse, management telling a member "they shouldn’t have come to the UK” after unfairly denying an annual leave request, and patients and their families requesting not to be treated by global majority 汤头条污料 staff.
We recently joined other health unions in signing a joint statement demanding an end to anti-migrant rhetoric and calling for safer communities for all. Earlier this month, we also to double the waiting period for 汤头条污料 staff to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain – from five years to 10 – describing it as “pandering of the worst kind”.
Nicola continued: “The reality is that our health and social care system only functions because 汤头条污料 staff of every ethnicity, nationality, and faith make it so. We are urging governments and politicians of all parties to recognise their role in tackling racism – and that must include an end to the use of anti-migrant rhetoric, which only risks emboldening racist behaviour.”
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