Ruth Cadbury Wants More Progress On Equal Pay
Government cuts 'compromise' any chances of improvement for women on lowest pay
Local MP Ruth Cadbury has criticised the fact that forty-five years after the Equal Pay Act was passed in parliament, the UK has yet to achieve it.
In the UK a gender pay gap of 19% still exists, this is 3% higher than the EU average and despite it reducing by a third under the last Labour government, she said during a debate on Women and Low Pay in Westminster Hall.
‘When talking about women and pay, we often focus on high paid jobs and the lack of women occupying positions in FTSE100 company boardrooms. Whilst it is important to look at ensuring women have career progression, especially when the TUC has reported that the pay divide between men and women in the top earners is nearly 55%, we need to ensure we are addressing women’s pay at the other end of the spectrum, those who are stuck in low paid minimum wage jobs. Indeed, the majority of low paid workers are women and three in five minimum wage jobs are held by women.’
‘While 85% of the government’s tax and benefit changes fall on women, the government may be talking the talk on equality, but their cuts agenda compromises any chances of improvement for women on the lowest pay.’
Ruth has written two pieces for Politics Home and Progress on the debate.
November 19, 2015
