Close the Gap newsround (23)

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 days

Women to be hit hardest by ECJ gender ruling.

UK News

The Guardian

Maternity leave is a women's issue? Don't buy that line

Actors' union rallies theatres to create more parts for women

Equality and Human Rights Commission

New guide explains maternity rights and redundancy

Job evaluation fails to stop equal pay claims

People Management

Policewomen unhappy over inflexible work practices

The Engineer

Gender should be no barrier to talent

Western Telegraph

Pembrokeshire County Council's £3.5million pay gap settlement

EVENTS

Women in Renewable Energy Scotland

Close the Gap are supporting Women in Renewable Energy Scotland's (WiRES) reception being held on Tuesday 4 September at the Scottish Parliament. 

This event aims to celebrate the contribution women can make to the economic growth of the renewable energy sector in Scotland. It will be held in the Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 4 September 6.00pm-8.00pm (registration open from 5.30pm).

This event is being sponsored by Rhoda Grant MSP.

If you have not received an invite and would like to attend then please visit www.wiresreception.eventbrite.co.uk  to find out more.

CONSULTATIONS - UK Government

Equality Act 2010: consultation on employer liability for harassment of employees by third parties

Equality Act 2010: consultation on repeal of two enforcement provisions

Close the Gap newsround (22)

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 headhunters

What does the localism agenda mean for women?

Independent

Fewer than one third of most senior jobs are held by women

UK government to launch commission on childcare

Further Education Week

Women lead the way at WLN conference

Women in Technology

Sexual discrimination still prominent in the workplace, survey finds

HR Magazine

Quotas are not the way forward for gender diversity, says home secretary

News - EUROPE & INTERNATIONAL

European Commission

Gender stereotyping and ICT: a fresh perspective

Parliament calls for sanctions to enforce equal pay

Greece

Greek cuts hits women hardest as employees and service users

The Irish Times

Employers who pay women less may face fines and sanctions

USA

Corporate world targets the gender gap in top ranks

EVENTS

Chartered Institute for IT-BSCWomen

BCSWomen Scotland will have their first meeting in Scotland on 27th June in the IBM office in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh.  The event will start between 6 and 6.30pm, and go on until about 8.30pm. Further details available at bcswomenscotland.wordpress.com 

CONSULTATIONS - UK Government

Equality Act 2010: consultation on employer liability for harassment of employees by third parties

Equality Act 2010: consultation on repeal of two enforcement provisions

Close the Gap newsround (21)

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 Independent

Women directors are out of the picture at Cannes

The Telegraph

eFinancial Careers survey shows City gender pay gap hits 21%

BBC News

Ruchi Sanghvi: Facebook's pioneer woman

More failing to save for pension, says Scottish Widows

Belfast Telgraph

Rise in male childcare students

ASLEF

Why are train drivers male and white? Union asks.

EVENTS

Chartered Institute for IT-BSCWomen

BCSWomen Scotland will have their first meeting in Scotland on 27th June in the IBM office in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh.  The event will start between 6 and 6.30pm, and go on until about 8.30pm. Further details available at bcswomenscotland.wordpress.com 

CONSULTATIONS - UK Government

Equality Act 2010: consultation on employer liability for harassment of employees by third parties

Equality Act 2010: consultation on repeal of two enforcement provisions

Close the Gap concerned about dilution of equalities law

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 Equalities, Theresa May, announced yesterday that the government will review the ‘effectiveness’ of the public sector equality duty, and is minded to remove some existing legal protections for employers, and to reduce the role of employment tribunals.

The review, which will take a form that is yet to be announced, will cover the general public sector equality duty and the specific duty. This will have implications for Scotland, as the general duty covers Scotland and Wales as well as England. This review follows hot on the heels of the introduction of the general duty; the specific duties have not yet been implemented in Scotland.

May also announced a proposal to scrap equal pay questionnaires which provide individuals with information that can be used to take forward equal pay grievances and tribunal cases. She also announced the Government’s intention to remove the ability of tribunals to make recommendations to employers about changes to their employment practices. This would remove one of the only measures that tribunals have to address discrimination that is embedded, usually unwittingly, within the pay systems of employers.

There are enormous concerns about the impact of public sector spending cuts on the position of women in the labour market.  The number of unemployed women is at a 25 year high with this number predicted as budgets reduce in the female-dominated public sector. There has also been a rise in pregnancy discrimination, cuts to flexible working, and an increase in the number women under-employed. Analysis by the House of Commons library researchers revealed that women will pay for more than 70 per cent of the £18bn cuts to social security and welfare set out in the 2010 emergency budget. The Women’s Budget Group has analysed cuts to services, and has determined that the withdrawal in public services amounts to 20 per cent of the income of single parents.

The public sector equality duty requires public sector employers to work proactively on the complex causes of the pay gap. Other legal remedies provide redress when things go wrong. Close the Gap will be responding to the consultation to remind the UK Government of the benefits of the Equality Act: public bodies working to provide the best quality of employment to employees, and clear expectations for employers and employees on how problems will be resolved if they arise.