It’s been nearly 40 years since the Equal Pay Act was passed in the UK, yet today women are still paid less than men.
Some statistics:
- 17.1% less for full-time work
- 36.6% less for part-time work
- 40.1% less in the financial sector
- Pakistani women are paid 25.7% less than white men
- Disabled women are paid 22.3% less than non-disabled men
Why is there still a pay gap?
There are 3 main causes of the gender pay gap:
- Discrimination: paying women less than men for doing the same jobs or work of equal value is the single largest cause of the pay gap.
- Mother hood penalty: women still do the bulk of the caring in the UK. Factors such as a lack of flexible working and the long working hour’s culture mean women pay a penalty at work for their caring role. A number of women also risk losing their job when they fall pregnant.
- Undervaluation of traditional ‘women’s work’: jobs traditionally carried out by women – (cleaning, catering and caring) – are undervalued and paid less than other jobs.
This is unacceptable. Which is why Fawcett and Unison have started the Equal Pay Campaign, and you can help make this campaign a success.
The Government’s Equality Bill is currently being run through parliament — which gives us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen equal pay law and end the gender pay gap. This Equal Pay Day (30th October 2009) make sure you raise your voice and call on the Government to get tough on equal pay!
How can you help?
The women’s campaign will be around the Atrium on Friday 30th October 2009 between 9.00am and 5.00pm, you can sign the Equal Pay Day petition, which will then be sent to parliament. If you have a bit more time available please feel free to take a look at the Fawcett Society website where there are a number of different campaign resources you can use.
(image source: Flickr by joergh)
Lu Samson studies Environmental Science and Environmental Management and is in her third year at the University of Derby. Previously in post as Ethics and Environment officer she has been involved with the Union, and writing for Dusted, for some time. 
Its appalling that even in this day and age and after all these years, that women in work are NOT treated equally. Many times women are asked to perform duties on an equal footing with men and probably have far more to lose. Most women these days have children, a home to look after and hold down a job. Why then are men paid far more for doing far less? Children in High Schools are encouraged to participate in activities once thought of as gender related; Im cetain that those same expectations of equality will follow once they are at work. What a shame that the girls will be sorely dissapointed and find that given opportunities to work in a mans world, they will not recieve the same recogntion and pay as men.