Hull MP slams growing gender pay gap under Coalition
Diana Johnson MP
03/11/14, 00:00
Hull North MP Diana Johnson has slammed the Coalition Government's reversal of years of gradual progress on equal pay for women.
Equal Pay Day the day women effectively start working for free because they are still paid less than men falls on 4 November this year.
That's three days earlier than in 2013 because of the rising pay gap under the Coalition. Women will, in effect, work for free for the next 57 days until 31 December.
These new figures mean that women in the UK earn around 80p for every pound earned by a man for doing the same job. In the Yorkshire and Humber Region this new analysis reveals that women are earning 19.6% less an hour than men that's just under the UK average of 19.7%.
Labour have pledged to take action to deliver equal pay by requiring companies with more than 250 workers to publish their hourly pay gap in their annual report to expose whether men and women are being paid differently for doing the same work.
For the first time employees would be able to see if discrimination exists and whether all the top jobs are still dominated by men.
Hull North MP Diana Johnson said: "These shocking figures show the full extent of the growing gap in pay between men and women.
"Women will work an extra three days for free this year because the pay gap is back on the rise under Nick Clegg's Lib Dems and David Cameron. Years of gradual progress is being reversed, as working families struggle with rising prices, benefit cuts and poverty pay with women workers hit the hardest.
"44 years after Labour's 1970 Equal Pay Act, equal pay is long overdue. Women shouldn't have to wait another 50 years for Equal Pay.
"That's why Labour will be calling a vote in Parliament to require big companies to publish information on their pay gap. If the Coalition Government blocks this, the next Labour Government would act to require companies to publish the hourly pay gap of their employees.
"Then, alongside tough action on low pay and the cost of living, we can take steps to deliver equal pay for the same work for women and men across our country."