Information for trade unions
Trade unions have a statutory role in public sector work to tackle gender pay gaps, and also work with private sector employers on delivering equal pay. This sections contains tools and information that may help unions with this work.
Public sector equality duty: A toolkit for trade union reps
This toolkit is designed to give trade union reps an understanding of the public sector equality duty as it relates to gender and employment. It describes what employers are obliged to do under the duty, and how reps can use the duty for the benefit of their members.
Filename: CTGPSEDTU-Report.pdf | File size: 1818KB
Shifting the Balance: Exploring the trade union responses to tackling gendered occupational segregation
This resource outlines the causes of occupational segregation and the impact that it has on women in the labour market and in education and training. It also explores the work that unions have undertaken to engage on the issue, makes recommendations for unions to work towards achieving greater equality for women members in the workplace and suggests proposals for pilot work with Close the Gap.
Filename: ShiftingBalance2017-Report.pdf | File size: 763KB
Older Women in the Workplace: The benefit of experience: older women's access to skills development and training
This briefing covers some of the development and training issues affecting older working women. It also suggests ways union reps can help support these women in the workplace.
Filename: skills.pdf | File size: 131KB
Older Women in the Workplace: Equal pay and pensions: women's inequality in retirement
This publication highlights some of the key areas where women are disadvantaged in the
UK pensions system. It also suggests ways in which union reps can take action to address
women members’ inequality in retirement. This publication will provide an overview of the
basic state pension and occupational pension schemes, and discuss the link between equal
pay and pensioner poverty, the impact of this on women, and suggest actions for union reps
to address the inequalities described.
Older Women in the Workplace: Health and safety issues
This briefing covers some of the health and safety issues affecting older working women. It also suggests ways union reps can help support these women in the workplace.
Filename: hs.pdf | File size: 126KB
Older Women in the Workplace: Balancing work with care
This briefing covers some of the issues affecting older working women with caring responsibilities. It also suggests ways union reps can help support these women in the workplace.
Filename: balance.pdf | File size: 126KB
Conducting an Equal Pay Review: the role of union reps
This briefing will give trade union reps an understanding of the role that they should play in taking forward an equal pay review. The five step process is outlined in detail, with accompanying good and bad practice examples at each step.
Filename: Equal-Pay-Review-briefing.pdf | File size: 291KB
Bargaining for Equal Pay
This toolkit provides trade unions reps with an understanding of the Equal Pay Act, some guidance on bargaining for equal pay and what to look for in a job evaluation scheme, sample letters to small employers, and signposts to further information and support.
Filename: bargaining-for-equal-pay.pdf | File size: 240KB
Statutory Code of Practice on Equal Pay (Equality and Human Rights Commission)
Laid before Parliament 27 July 2010. This is the authoritative, comprehensive and technical guide to the Act’s provisions intended to ensure that women and men receive the same pay and other contractual benefits when they are doing equal work.
Filename: 1374941741_equalpaycode.pdf | File size: 420KB
Equal pay and pensions
This briefing highlights some of the key areas where women lose out in the UK pensions system. It suggests ways in which union reps can take action to address women members' inequality in retirement.
Filename: Pensions-briefing.pdf | File size: 289KB
CTG Working Paper 6: Invisible women, employment data collection in Scottish local government
As part of a joint initiative with the STUC Women's Committee, Close the Gap conducted research which was intended to assess the impact of current public spending cuts on women's employment in local government in Scotland, and to determine whether the anecdotal evidence is indicative of a shifting pattern of employment practice. This was done by collating and analysing local government employment data, obtained by submitting freedom of information (FoI) requests to each local authority in Scotland.
Filename: Final-report-April-2012.pdf | File size: 535KB
Valuing Diversity: The business case for gender equality during an economic downturn (Emily Thomson)
This brief position paper outlines the main ‘business case’ arguments for action to close gender gaps in employment and reinvigorates them in light of the current economic downturn in Scotland.
Filename: 1374941910_Valuing-Diversity-CG.pdf | File size: 1049KB
The relationship between actions to promote gender equality and profit (Emily Thomson, ERI)
This research collates and analyses the existing evidence in support of the business case for addressing gender inequality in individual firms.
Filename: 1374941901_The-relationship-between-actions-to-promote-gender-equality-and-profit.pdf | File size: 2281KB