16.6.

2017 Islamophobia,EmploymentDiscriminationandtheLaborMovement|TheILRSchool|CornellUniversity

MoilizingAgaintInequalit

MoilizingAgaintInequalit/Ilamophoia,mplomentDicriminationandtheLaorMovement

Ilamophoia,mplomentDicriminationand
theLaorMovement

April28,2017
Markergfeld
Acrourope,thefarrightiothmoilizinginthetreetandgainingelectorallthroughwhippingupanti-Mulim
racimandIlamophoiaagaintrefugee,migrantandMulimcitizen.ThePegidamovementinDreden,German,
continuetomoilizethouandindefenceoftheOccidentonaweeklai.Meanwhile,GeertWilderFreedom
ParthaecomethemainoppoitionpartintheNetherlandandMarineLePenFrontNationalimakingatrong
howingintheFrenchpreidentialelectioncampaign.

Aheadoftatepuruepolicieormaketatementinditinguihalefromthefarrightitecomeoviouthatthefar
rightidrivingtheagenda.PreidentTrumpMulimtravelan(xecutiveOrder13769),formerritihPrimeMiniter
DavidCameronreferringtorefugeeaawarm,andGermanChancellorMerkelpronouncementthatMultkultiit
tot(multiculturalimidead)arecaeinpoint.

Moreover,evercountrhaitfairhareoflieral,feminitandleftitwhoaremorethanhappto(a)uefeminim,
garight,orhumanrightthethreepillaroftheNewLefttoarguethatIlampoeathreattoWeterncivilization.
https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/mobilizingagainstinequality/post/islamophobiaemploymentdiscriminationandlabormovement 1/3
16.6.2017 Islamophobia,EmploymentDiscriminationandtheLaborMovement|TheILRSchool|CornellUniversity

Whenchallengedovertheracitcontentoftheirtatement,thearguethatIlamophoiaintracimecaueIlamint
araceutareligionafterall.

TherearetwowatoaddrethelikeofFrenchauthorMichelHouelleecq,GermanfeminitAlicechwarzerorUtalk
howhotillMaherwhoadvancethitpeofargument.

Firt,thefailtorecognizethatracitideologanditjutificationhavehiftedfromiologicalracimtotheterrainof
culture.Accordingtothecholardwardad,theprimacoftheculturalterraininthecontructionofanti-Mulimracim
haitrootintheWetcolonialexperience.Throughtheframeworkofwhatadlaelorientalim,populationofthe
MiddleatandNorthAfricaarehomogenized.A2011PewtudonUMulim,contrat,dimietheideaofa
homogenouMulimcommunit.Ithowthatthearejutalikelorunlikeltoviittheirplaceofworhiponceaweek
atheirfellowChritiancitizen.

econd,ahumanrightargumentcanemade.TheUnitedNationInternationalConventionontheliminationofAllForm
ofRacialDicriminationetalihefreedomofthought,concienceandreligionaacivilright(Art5.vii).Theconvention
furtherarguethatracialdicriminationipremiedonpurpoeoreffectregardleofoneintention(Art.1).

AidefromtheintentionalracimofthefarrightwecaneehowMuliminNorthAmericaanduropeareujectto
racialdicriminationintheirworkinglive.ReearchhowthatracialdicriminationofMulimmanifetitelfprimaril
inexcluionfromthelaormarket.Hence,thehomogenizationofMulimcitizenandmigranthadirectconequence
fortheiremplomentpropect.
tudiefromGermanhowthatworkerwithaMulim,TurkihorAraicackgroundarediproportionatel
dicriminatedagaintinthelaourmarket.(Kreienrinkandtich2012;Peucker2010)

TheFrenchMontaigneIntitutefoundthataFrenchMulimifourtimelelikeltogetinvitedtoajointerview
thanaFrenchCatholic.

AritihHoueofCommoncommitteereportfoundthatMulimweremorethantwicealikeltoeunemploed
athegeneralUKpopulation.Attheametime,ClarkandDrinkwaterfindthattheproailitofwhiteritih
Mulimgainingemplomenti16-20percentagepointlowerthanthoewithnoreligion.

In2010,MulimemploeeintheUfiled803claimofemplomentdicriminationwhichwaa20percentriefrom
2009anda60percentriefrom2005(newerfigurenotavailale).

WhileMulimemploeeexperiencemriadformofemplomentdicriminationattheworkplaceandinthelaour
market,theiueoftheMulimheadcarf(hija)cannoteignored.TheuropeanCourtofJuticeruledthatemploer
cananwomenemploeefromwearingthehijaintheworkplace.Thetwocaeroughtforwardconcernedoneprivate
ecuritofficerandadeignengineerworkinginITconulting.Therulingtatethatthehijacanonleannedapart
ofapolicofanningallreligiouandpoliticalmolintheworkplace,thuforcingtheecuritofficertochooe
etweenherfaithandheremploment.

AmnetInternational,theuropeanConventionofRaiandGermanProtetantChurchhavealloppoedthiruling
oneitherhumanrightorreligiouground.Yeturopeanlaorunionremainquietathiinotregardedaareallaor
iue.

However,thelaormovementwoulddowelltorememeranhitoricleonfrom19 CenturGerman.ackthen,the
th

founderoftheocialDemocraticPartofGerman(PD),Auguteel,defendedCatholicagaintChancellorimarck
whoaccuedthemofeingdiloaltotheGermantateinfavorofthePope.AimarckwentontoantheJeuitorder,
eelandthePDdefendedtheJeuitfreedomofreligionagainttherepreionofthetate.ixmonthlaterthePD
wouldeillegalawell.Policietargetingreligioufreedomcanothetaprecedentandeuedtoweakenthelaor
movement.

https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/mobilizingagainstinequality/post/islamophobiaemploymentdiscriminationandlabormovement 2/3
16.6.2017 Islamophobia,EmploymentDiscriminationandtheLaborMovement|TheILRSchool|CornellUniversity

ThiiexemplifiedinFrancetoda.PierreGattaz,thechairoftheFrenchUnionofmploer,andajournalitcompared
theFrenchCGTunionduringitcampaignagaintlaormarketreformtoterroritandIIrepectivel.Attheame
time,thetateofemergencinplaceduetoterrorattackwauedtoprohiitlaorprotet,demontrationandtrike
awellafineandevenjailunionleader.Intheamewathatanti-terrorlegilationfrequentltargettheentiretofthe
Mulimcommunit,legilationinitialltargetingMulimiuedaalanketcoverforallgroupwhopoeachallengeto
thetate.

Frenchemploeronceuiltpraerroomincarfactorie-eloquentldecriedRoertLinhratinhiookLetali
(TheAemlLine)inordertokeepMulimguetworkeroutofreachfromCommunitandthelaorunion.A
weakenedlaormovementandtheideologicalfermentofIlamophoiaandanti-Mulimracimince9/11andtheWaron
TerrorrequireunioninuropeandNorthAmericatorethinktheirapproache.

Politicalelf-organizationandcooperationarenecearpreconditiontocivilandocietalparticipation.Ithouldnote
forgottenthattheNewYorkWorkerTaxiAllianceemergedfromacampaignagaintracim.ThemoilizationofNewYork
CitYemeniodegaowneragainttheMulimtravelanunderlinedthatectionoftheMulimcommunitwontlet
themelveevictimized.Laorunioncanaittheeeffortprovidingplatformforanti-racitandworker
organizing.

AtorfromarecentlaordiputeatoneoferlinairportinGermanunderlinethatthelaormovementcannot
divorceitelffrompoliticintimeoffar-rightinurgenc.Aworkerwentontrikeforhigherwage,thefar-right
AlternativefrDeutchland(AfD)iuedaolidarittatementandakedthetrikecommitteewhetherthecouldtakea
picturewithomeofthetrikerexcludingtheTurk.Thetrikecommitteetoodfirmandreponded:oueithertakea
picturewithallofuornoneofu.Youwontdivideu.

Theremuteotherexampleandexperiencelikethat.Hopefullthilogpotcantartaproceofcollectingomeof
thee.

MarkergfeldiaPhDreearcheratQueenMarUniveritofLondon,choolofuineandManagement.Hireearchdeal
withimmigrantandlaorunion.Hehaeenactiveinvariouocialmovementandunioncampaign.Hecanecontactedat
m.d.ergfeld@qmul.ac.ukandcanefoundonTwitter@mdergfeld.

ucrietomailUpdate
ignuptoreceiveamonthldigetofourlatetpotonimmigrationworkerrightandrepreentation.

mailAddre

ucrie
umittingthiform,ouagreetoreceiveoccaionalupdateaoutTheWorkerIntitute'workhop,event,training
programandlaoreducationproduct.

https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/mobilizingagainstinequality/post/islamophobiaemploymentdiscriminationandlabormovement 3/3