The union body wants to see existing race relations laws revised to make it compulsory for firms to promote race equality and stamp out racism for good.

It claims, in a report published on Friday, that despite progress over the past decade, racism still exists and many black and ethnic minority workers are still being treated unfairly.

Senior managers should take race issues more seriously and racial discrimination in any form should be treated as a serious disciplinary offence, the report says.

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary-elect, said: "Anti racist laws and campaigning have brought real benefits to large numbers of workers. Now the government must legislate to force all employers to rid our workplaces of racism."

The report was published ahead of the TUC Black Workers' Conference, which begins in Liverpool on Friday.

In March Home Secretary David Blunkett told a conference in Huddersfield, held to tackle issues of racial discrimination, that the government was committed to stamp out the problem.