Women in the workplace

It is more than 50 years since equal pay law has been in force, but there is still a massive inequality between men’s and women’s pay. There is a 14.9% gap between men’s and women’s combined hourly rates, and a shocking 32.2% gap when you compare women’s part-time hourly rate to men’s full-time hourly rate. Over a lifetime, this means that the average working woman will earn over £500,000 less than her male counterpart.

These headline figures represent a lifetime of pay inequality for women, and it is vital that trade unions take action to tackle this for their members.

What's behind the gender pay gap?

The gender pay gap has received higher levels of coverage over the last few years, both in the media and in political discourse, but the pay gap itself is only a headline measure and cannot cover the complexities of women’s labour market inequality. Often when the gender pay gap is discussed it is in the context of equal pay for equal work; however there are numerous issues comprised under this headline figure including occupational segregation, rigid gender roles, and the undervaluing of women’s skills and work.

Gender stereotyping begins from birth, shaping girls’ and boys’ early experiences of development and education. Young people are faced with gendered assumptions about their capabilities and preferences, which pushes young women and men towards particular subject choices. This ultimately results in patterns of occupational segregation across all sectors of the labour market. Gendered assumptions also influence the disproportionate share of unpaid domestic labour which is shouldered by women.

These multiple factors combine to see women clustered into a small number of low-paid, undervalued occupations such as admin, retail and care.

The causes of women’s workplace inequality are complex and numerous, and interact in many ways. Action is required by all stakeholders at all levels to address it.

A workplace issue

The trade union movement has been at the forefront of the campaign for equal pay for its members, and for women’s equality. It is vital that this commitment to the issues affecting women’s participation in the labour market is reflected in workplace reps’ bargaining strategies.

You can find out more about the issues you and your members might face in the workplace, and how to tackle them, in our section Roles for reps.

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