NEWS RELEASE 15 November 2004 Embargoed 00.01 Tuesday 16th November 2004
Working Women call for Action to Close the Gender Pay Gap
Working women at the Scottish Trades Union Congress Women's Conference will today (Tuesday 16 November) call for more action to close the gender pay gap, where women on average earn 19 per cent less than the average working man.
Over 150 women delegates from workplaces across Scotland will, as part of the STUC `Unions Work' campaign, debate calls for: · Mandatory equal pay audits · A national strategy to tackle gender job segregation · The extension of the proposed Public Sector Duty to promote gender equality to the private and voluntary sectors.
A Special Session of Conference on Equal Pay, will provide delegates with information and advice to enable them to go to their employers to ask for equal pay audits to close the gender pay gap.
Speaking at Conference, Veronica Rankin, Chair of the STUC Women's Committee will say:
"Working women have waited far too long to get fairness in their pay packets. At our conference not only will we be renewing our call to close the gap, but we will also be giving women delegates advice and tools to help them in their own workplaces".
"There are a range of well documented reasons to explain the gender pay gap: pay discrimination, job segregation, and women's caring commitments. What women need is action, in the form of transparent equal pay audits, to address these issues, and to ensure pay systems are fair and equitable".
The STUC is a leading partner in the Close the Gap project, with the Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise and the Equal Opportunities Commission. Malcolm Chisholm, the Communities Minister for will be addressing the Conference today (Tuesday 16 November).
Speaking ahead of addressing the conference, Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"I commend the contribution the STUC has made to tackling women's inequality and discrimination against women in the workplace. The Executive values the work we undertake with the STUC - working collaboratively is vital
Tel: 0141 337 8100 / Fax: 0141 337 8101 www.stuc.org.uk
in helping us to address inequalities and promote equal opportunities, an integral part of our commitment to securing a better life for all our communities.
"Tackling equal pay is a priority in this. It is not only right that women's work should be properly valued and that women should expect a fair deal in the workplace - it is also vital for the economy. Scotland needs to be able to draw on the skills and talents of all of its people.
"The Executive is working in partnership with others through the Close the Gap initiative to reduce the pay gap in Scotland. As part of our on-going commitment we continue to monitor and review our pay system to ensure it is free from all forms of discrimination and we have undertaken an equal pay review of the pay system in the Executive and have required all NDPBs to do likewise."
Ends
Notes · A copy of Veronica Rankin's speech to Conference will be distributed on Monday
· The special session on Closing the Gender Pay Gap, will be opened by John Wilkes, Director Equal Opportunities Commission Scotland, and will include contributions from trade union officials and employment law experts.
· For first time the STUC Women's Conference will be addressed by three school children from Cathkin High School who will make a presentation on gender issues for young people.
· Motion based conference will debate wide ranging issues: tackling gender segregation in the labour market, the need for equal pay audits, asylum and immigration policy, and abortion rights for women.
· Angela O'Hagan, Campaigns Manager, Oxfam in Scotland will address the conference on the challenges facing homeworkers
For further information and contact during the Conference:
Mary Senior, Assistant Secretary STUC Mobile 07821276516
STUC Office 0141 337 8100