Blog entries

POSTPONED: Shifting the Balance? Tuesday 19 February 2013

Anna Ritchie — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:40:20 +0100

'Shifting the Balance? Exploring trade union responses to gendered occupational segregation', which was to take place on Tuesday 19 February, has been postponed. It is envisaged that it will be rescheduled for a date in late 2013. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Close the Gap newsround (26)

Julie McIntosh — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:40:22 +0100

This edition captures articles on childcare, occupational segregation, and issues related to the gender pay gap and its causes.

NEWS - General

The Herald

No easy answers in the struggle for equal pay

Europe's costliest childcare

Better gender balance in classroom will benefit all

The Guardian

How do you fit six toddlers into a buggy? Ask Liz Truss

Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg attacks gender stereotypes at work

Women fare better inRead More...

New flat-rate pension will have mixed effect on women

Anna Ritchie — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:03:06 +0100

The UK Government has announced that a new, simpler, flat-rate pension will be introduced from April 2017. Women are being held up as one of the main beneficiaries by the government but it is far from clear whether this is actually the case.

Currently, the basic state pension in £107.45 per week but this can be topped up to £142.70 with means-tested pension credit and state second pension (which is based on national insurance contributions). The new changes will see peopleRead More...

Close the Gap newsround (25)

Julie McIntosh — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:12:45 +0100

This edition captures articles on equal pay claims, occupational segregation and issues related to the gender pay gap and its causes.

NEWS - General

The Scotsman

Edinburgh City Council agree settlement on equal pay dispute

Hannah McGill: Creative gender gap makes artists close ranks

STUC Women's Conference 2012: women and their priorities at work

Gender quotas plan postponed

The Guardian
High court rules: equal pay places localRead More...

Close the Gap international newsround (4)

Suzanne Motherwell — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 09:37:37 +0100

This post captures news relating to the causes of the gender pay gap and equal pay in different countries. This includes issues such as occupational segregation and gender inequality in the labour market.

Africa

Middle East and North Africa: Boosting support for women’s entrepreneurship will pay off in jobs and growth, says OECD

Australia

Australian women standing up to sexism

Saudi Arabia

Employers urged to create sound work enviRead More...

Close the Gap newsround (24)

Julie McIntosh — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:29:31 +0100

This edition captures articles related to the gender pay gap and its causes.

NEWS - General

The Guardian

Employment trends: women in local government

Women directors boost company performance

Why has the number of senior female managers fallen at the NAO?

What is the private sector's attitude to women voluntary sector leaders?

The Herald

Gender gap in UK apprentice schemes

The Telegraph

Caroline Thomson: BBC still has workRead More...

Close the Gap newsround (23)

Julie McIntosh — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:40:41 +0100

This edition captures articles related to the gender pay gap and its causes. There is also information about Close the Gap's next event.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

BBC

Bill to increase free pre-school childcare in Scotland

Herald

Cutbacks send summer childcare costs soaring

Council faces multimillion equal pay bill

A sweet victory in the battle for equal pay

Rutherglen Reformer

Childcare commission to consider longer school daysRead More...

Close the Gap newsround (22)

Julie McIntosh — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0100

This week's newsround includes articles on occupational segregation, women and work and gender stereotyping.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

The Courier

Fife Council gives out £23.4m in equal pay claims to underpaid female workers

Herald Scotland

Women in Scotland retire on a third less than men

NEWS - UK

BBC

Gender inequality in Jersey

The Guardian

Male corporate elite bars women's way to top, says study of headhunterRead More...

The real root of women's inequality in retirement

Anna Ritchie — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 10:29:18 +0100

Research has revealed that Scotland has the second-worst gender pensions gap in the UK. A report by Prudential has found that women in Scotland can expect to receive more than one-third less than men when they retire, with an average annual income of £10,029 compared with £17,539 for their male counterparts.

The media has largely focused on the fact that the gender pensions gap has narrowed, although this is because men’s income has fallen as opposed to an increase iRead More...

FREE Public Sector Equality Duty Seminar for Trade Unions

Suzanne Motherwell — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:31:06 +0100

The public sector equality duty came into force in April 2011 and replaced the gender equality duty. The new specific duties have just come into force in Scotland. Unions reps will need to know how to use the new duties for the benefit of their members and to ensure equality in the workplace.

This FREE semiRead More...

Close the Gap newsround (21)

Julie McIntosh — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:13:04 +0100

This week's newsround includes articles on occupational segregation, women and work and gender stereotyping.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

BBC News

Female unemployment: Why has it been rising rapidly?

Scotland on Sunday

Lady Susan Rice appointed president of Scottish Council for Development and Industry

NEWS - UK

The Guardian

First woman to command Royal Navy frigate takes helm

Child care costs: how the UK compares with the world

The InRead More...

Close the Gap concerned about dilution of equalities law

Emma Ritch — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:55:53 +0100

Close the Gap is concerned about the UK Government’s announcement of measures that may dilute existing equalities legislation. ‘Red Tape Challenge’ was a UK Government web-based consultation on current legislation, carried out with the specific aim of reducing so-called bureaucracy, and which attracted comments from the general public as well as from employers, and equalities organisations. Following this exercise, the Home Secretary and Minister for Women and EqualitiRead More...

Close the Gap newsround (20)

Tue, 08 May 2012 10:41:27 +0100

This week's newsround includes articles on equal pay, the underrepresentation of women in IT and flexible working.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

Herald

Science chief in warning on lack of women

The Scotsman

Equal pay case ‘could cost Network Rail millions’

NEWS - UK

The Belfast Telegraph

Number forced to work part-time in Northern Ireland doubles

Fawcett Society

Government could have done more to consider impact of cutRead More...

Close the Gap newsround (19)

Julie McIntosh — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:15:41 +0100

This week's newsround includes articles on the pay gap in media professions and a summit on women's employment Scotland.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

Scottish Government

First Minister Announces Women's Job Summit

NEWS - UK

The Guardian

TV production survey points towards gender pay gap

Burning issues for female firefighters

The Telegraph

FOI request reveals BBC pays high ranking men 10 per cent more than women

People ManagementRead More...

Close the Gap - international news (3)

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:52:35 +0100

This post captures news from around the world on the causes of the gender pay gap and equal pay. This includes issues such as occupational segregation, gender equality in the labour market, flexible working and much more.

Tanzania

Female Students Shy Away From Science Courses

Ghana

Minister calls on women to embrace jobs in ICT sector

AustraliaRead More...

Close the Gap International news (2)

Julie McIntosh — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Close the Gap will capture news from around the world on the causes of the gender pay gap and equal pay. This includes issues such as occupational segregation, gender equality in the labour market, flexible working and much more.

Alaska

In Germany, women get paid less than men. Why?

Armenia

Gender gap: Study shows Armenian women having significantly less involvement in government than men

Australia

WA women want more work hours

Reduce ourRead More...

Close the Gap International News (USA)

Suzanne Motherwell — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Tuesday 17 April is Equal Pay Day in the USA. This newsround captures news articles over the past month from the USA.

USA

The Most Unfair Cities To Be A Working Woman: Gender Pay Gap By The Numbers

Utah’s wage gap for women third largest in U.S.

Women to rally for equal pay Tuesday at Daley Center

Opinion: Equal pay for women remains a concern after signing of Lilly Ledbetter Act

Women and the Leadership Gap

MRead More...

Close the Gap newsround (18)

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0100

This week's newsround includes articles on women in science, engineering and technology occupations.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

The Scotsman

Parties under fire for lack of female candidates

The Herald

Warning female graduates failing to make use of skills

NEWS - UK

The Guardian

How can Britain encourage women into work?

For women in work this is a perfect storm of inequality

Why female-dominated dramas are all the rage

CRead More...

Close the Gap newsround (17)

Julie McIntosh — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:04:59 +0100

This week's newsround includes articles on the pay gap, women working in STEM and women's representation in company boardrooms.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

The Herald

How voters can redress the gender balance

NEWS - UK

Office of National Statistics (ONS)

ONS have made changes to the methodology used to calculate the gender pay gap. It shows that the 2011 pay gap for the UK has not narrowed as much as first thought. Close the Gap will be investigating further.

Close the Gap newsround (16)

Julie McIntosh — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:34:48 +0100

This week's newsround includes articles on women in the boardroom and the impact of the UK Budget on women.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

Scottish Review

Scotland's gender scandal: Part I Tokenism at the top

NEWS - UK

The Guardian

Women and the budget: the chancellor has a chance to put things right

Quotas aren't the best way to get more women into boardrooms

Public sector cuts will hit women hard, thinktank warns

Women will need more thRead More...