February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
British minister John Spellar said there was a perception that Protestants faced inequality in the jobs market and such views, while not necessarily reflective of objective fact, were important as people’s actions were often determined by their perceptions.
The study will be conducted by extending research currently under way by Edinburgh-based consultants who are already looking at changing patterns of inequality in the labor market.
Spellar said elected representatives from both the unionist and nationalist communities had raised concerns about perceived inequality in the labor market and the effect this has on good relations.
He said objective evidence would help to clarify what was needed to address concerns and perceptions on the issue. Currently, Protestants make up 58.3 percent of the overall workforce and Catholics 41.7 percent.
Although both unionist parties welcomed the news, Sinn Fein’s equality spokesperson, Caitr