The enforcer of equalities law in the UK, the Equality & Human Rights Commission, has been brought to its knees by the coalition government's butchering of its budgets.
As of today, the neutered EHRC's hands are being tied behind its back. The helpline it used to operate across the UK has been shut down and replaced by a private sector company, SITEL, which has its home down with the good old boys in Nashville, in the US. The UK branch office of the multi-national contact centre specialists is in Watford. It would be.
SITEL knows bugger all about equality. It knows a lot about telephone contact centres and making money. They have managed to persuade a number of UK voluntary sector organisations to take some of their tainted money and advise them and the SITEL employees who answer the helpline on how to deal with callers needing advice on all matters under the fast fading sun of equalities and human rights in the UK. In other words, SITEL doesn't do equalities. It answers phones. That speaks volumes for the criteria used by the coalition government to award the contract for the new helpline.
It will also come as no surprise to know that SITEL does not recognise trade unions. Tennessee has a long and bloody history of never allowing trade unions to thrive, in any sector.
If you need help with an employer deciding that they can't be bothered doing an equal pay audit, call SITEL on 0800 444 205. If they take too long to answer the phone, you can write to them at : FREEPOST Equality Advisory Support Service FPN4431.
If you need help with a service provider not being bothered to provide their service in a manner which suits your particular communication support needs, call SITEL.
If you find SITEL doesn't do what it says on the side of the re-cycled fried chicken carton in which your advice is eventually offered, don't bother phoning the EHRC. By our silence and our inactions, we have allowed the coalition government to diminish the policing of equality in the UK to risible levels.
It is no longer safe to be different in the UK.
Problems of access aside, the decision to outsource the EHRC was made prior to the completion of the public consultation, during which voluntary sector organisations and individuals requested that the helpline stayed put.
ReplyDeleteConcerns were raised as to whether an other provider would have the expertise to give advice and the Scottish dimension was highlighted as a problematic area: we do, after all, have stronger public duties.
The new helpline won't provide help to agencies and professionals. How is this an improvement?
Agree.
DeleteI believe the technical political term you are looking for it a 'fit up'.
I have been bombarded with comments on how good the DRC Helpline was - run by Sitel - before being brought in house at the EHRC. The comments come from someone who used to work in the DRC.
I have asked for evidence of how the Sitel helpline then eliminated discrimination or promoted equality. I am still waiting.
Profit and public services is never a healthy mix. Profit and eliminating discrimination is, in my model of the world, another example of 'golden showers'.