I note the TUC has said that this year’s Women’s Pay took place on March 6. That was the day when the average women started getting paid compared to the average man.
After an official Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the TUC, reveals that the average woman has to wait more than two months of the calender year before she starts to get paid, compared to the average man.
The current gender pay gap for all employees stands at 17.9 per cent. This pay gap means that women effectively work for free for the first 65 days of the year, until they begin to get paid on Women’s Pay Day – March 6.
The regional analysis shows that in some parts of the country gender pay gaps are even bigger so their Women’s Pay Day is even later in the year.
Looking at closer to home for example, in the East of England the gender pay gap is 20.3 per cent, so Women’s Pay Day in this part of the country doesn’t fall for another nine days – on Friday, March 15.
Regional variations in the gender pay gap are likely to be caused by differences in the types of jobs and industries that are most common in that part of the UK.
But even those jobs that are dominated by female workers like education and social work – gender pay gaps are even bigger.
Making employers publish information on their gender pay gaps is a start, but it’s nowhere near enough. Employers must be legally required to explain how they tackle pay inequality at their workplaces and advertise jobs on a more flexible basis.
Despite this, the UK still has one of the worst gender pay gaps in Europe and women in the UK will only start to get paid properly when part-time jobs are better paid and jobs are more flexible from day one. We need better pay in the social care sector.
Workplaces that recognise unions are more likely to have family friendly policies and fair pay.
So a good first step for women worried about their pay is to join a union.
We must remember, together we are stronger, but divided we are weak.
Rodney Sadd
Carrington Road
Spalding
