Briefly outlines the labour market context within which the new Fair Employment legislation has to operate. Presents the results of research on how quickly religious differences in unemployment rates might be expected to be eliminated by the new legislation.

Unlike many of the issues raised during the Northern Ireland Civil Rights campaign of the late 1960s, employment discrimination has remained high on the political agenda, leading to two major pieces of legislation, in 1976 and 1989. Briefly examines the background to the claim of religious...

Examines the history of fair employment legislation in Northern Ireland, outlines the nature and scope of the present law, and looks briefly at the significant differences between fair employment law and the law on racial equality in Great Britain. Finally reflects upon the fair employment...

Explores the attitudes of employers and unions in Northern Ireland to the revival in the 1980s of earlier concerns about religious discrimination, and to the failure of the Fair Employment Act 1976 to make any real impact on Roman Catholic disadvantage in the labour market. Concludes that not...

Labour market statistics suggest that the rate of economic activity for women in Northern Ireland is among the lowest of the UK regions. Reviewing recent research, explores possible causes, and goes on to examine similarities and differences in Catholic and Protestant women′s participation in...

Relying on a sample survey, seeks to establish what progress has been made in changing employment policies, practices and procedures in the engineering industry in Northern Ireland since the possibility of ew fair employment legislation was mooted in the late 1980s. Finds that, while most...

In the Northern Ireland context, even though the debate about whether Catholics have experienced discrimination has raged for over two decades, there has been little attempt to relate the wide‐ranging and sophisticated USA debate to circumstances within the province. Takes the first steps to...

The accepted wisdom is that Northern Ireland is a traditional society within which women’s primary role is defined as homemaker and mother. Examines data on the labour market participation of women in Northern Ireland, drawing comparisons with the UK, the Republic of Ireland and the European...