Someone forgot to oversee the Equal Pay Act

Last week marked the 40^th anniversary of the enactment of the Equal Pay Act in the UK. We should be in a position to look back and marvel at how far we have come in the past four decases. However, the only thing we can truly marvel at with respect to women’s progress in the area of equal pay is just how far we have fallen short of our goal.

Forty years later and women in the UK still earn an average of 16.4% less than men.

According to a recent inquiry by the Equality and Human Rights Commission the finance sector is one of the worst culprits. Women there, working full-time, earn up to 55% less annual average gross salary than their male colleagues.

The worst part is what the research suggests that there were reasons for the ongoing gap. Employers are still stereotyping women: women are caregivers first and foremost; their prime responsibilities lie outside the office; and so on.

How can the workplace in a so-called first world country like Britain, be so out of touch with reality? A study by the Women and Work Commission that shows that improving women’s participation in the labour force is worth between £15 billion and £23 billion to the British economy each year. If that’s not worth correcting such a blatant wrong, I don’t know what is.

A BBC news article from June 2009 stated that women are out-performing men in almost every aspect of university achievement: they get more of the places in top universities; they get higher grades: they get more placements in law and medical schools. Yet, once all that education is behind them, the grim realities of life set in.

The UK perceives men to be more valuable.

While the new government says that it will promote equal pay, frankly that is not enough. The changes have to be more drastic. If women do equal work – which they often do – then they should be paid equal wages. It isn’t rocket science. One’s gender – just as one’s religion, colour, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation -- should have no bearing on the pay schedule. If you can do the job then you should be paid the going rate.

While the media has been focusing on the lack of female representation in UK boardrooms, I think that the problem is more fundamental than strategically placing a few women in executive positions. The problem is systemic and the system has to change now. If women need more flexible work conditions ... so be it. As long as the same work is done the details should not influence pay rates.

Isn’t it ironic that on 7 June 1968, 850 women machinists working at Ford in Dagenham went on strike for equal pay after discovering they were being paid 15% less than men for doing the same work. Today, that would be an improvement in circumstances for many women.