Bristol Trades Union Council celebrates International Women’s Day and sends greetings to sisters everywhere. We continue to place equality at the heart of our work.
There is much to do.
Analysis published by the TUC in the last few days, 6th March 2019, found that the average woman has to wait more than two months of the calendar year before she starts to get paid, compared to the average man.
In 2019 the gender pay gap for full-time and part-time employees stood at 17.9% meaning that women effectively work for free for the first 65 days of the year. In the South West the pay gap is even wider at 18.7%.
In a number of key industries – even in those dominated by female workers – gender pay gaps are even bigger:
- In education the gender pay gap is currently 25.9%, so the average woman effectively works for free for more than a quarter of the year (95 days) and has to wait until the 4th April before she starts earning the same as the average man.
- In information and communications, the average woman waits 77 days.
- The longest wait comes in finance and insurance. There the gender pay gap is the equivalent of 130 days – more than a third of the year.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“It’s been more than 50 years since the Ford machinists went on strike at Dagenham, the UK still has one of the worst gender pay gaps in Europe. Women effectively work for free for two months a year.
“Companies publishing information on their gender pay gaps is a small step in the right direction but it’s nowhere near enough. Women in the UK will only start to get paid properly when we have better-paid part-time and flexible jobs. And higher wages in key sectors like social care.
“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.”
Bristol Trades Union Council 