Czech Romanies Feel Discrimination is Main Cause for Work Rejection

Roughly two-thirds of Czech Romanies who were rejected as job seekers see the cause in employers’ racial prejudices, according to the results of a poll conducted by the Romany civic group Dzeno. The remaining one-third feel they failed due to insufficient skills, advanced age or because they don’t have a clean criminal record. Roughly 7 per cent of those polled were rejected more than ten times when looking for a job over the past year. Another 13 percent were rejected five to ten times. Out of the approximately 300 Romanies over 15 (years of age) included in the poll, 45 per cent were employed, well below the national level. Other findings from the poll: Almost 35 per cent of the respondents said they would move to find work. About the same percentage would be ready move for better housing. Sixteen per cent would move to escape racism and discrimination. Over 65 per cent of those polled want their children to acquire a secondary education at least; 14 percent of those polled think that an elementary education is sufficient.
Excerpted from: Romanies Feel Discriminated Against at Work, Prague Daily Monitor, 30 August 2006