Large companies in South Finland most willing to hire Roma
Survey shows about one in ten employers do not want Roma employees
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Vantaa bus driver Mauri Hagert, drives his city bus in the centre of Helsinki. At 53 years of age, he has driven for the Concordia company for seven years. The company, which operates many municipal bus routes in the Helsinki region, has about 20 other members of the Roma, or Gipsy community on its payroll.
“We don’t have very much education, so we need to take the work that is available. This company doesn’t look at what colour your hair is, or your race”, Hagert says.
A study commissioned by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy was released on Thursday, which found that negative attitudes on the part of many employers continue to make it difficult for Roma to find work.
A telephone survey showed that 12 per cent of employers admitted that they would not want to hire a Roma even if he or she had the qualifications for a job.
Slightly over half of those responding to the telephone poll, 57 per cent, were willing to hire a Roma.
“It is certainly alarming, but on the other hand, the figures also came as a positive surprise, because there has been much talk of discrimination against Roma”, says researcher Hannele Syrjä.
The poll showed that the most willing to hire Roma were large construction and service sector companies in the south of Finland, which have suffered from a labour shortage. The most positive answers came from companies which have already had Roma working for them.
More than 300 companies responded to the survey.
The greatest impediments to employment among the Roma, according to the survey, is a lack of education and work experience. Most Roma job seekers have no more than a primary school background.
Hannele Syrjä explains some cultural factors behind the figures. “Youth is short, families are established earlier, and further education is often left out. Roma are more willing to become educated as adults.”
Minister of Labour Tarja Cronberg (Green) says that attempts will be made to promote employment among the Roma by increasing the number of Roma contact persons at local employment offices. Efforts will also be made to get more Roma into apprenticeships, and subsidised employment.
“Improving the alarmingly poor education situation of the young is also important”, Cronberg says.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 12.9.2008 - TODAY |
 Large companies in South Finland most willing to hire Roma |
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