The research by the TUC reveals that the gender pay gap for all employees stands at 14.9 per cent. It says this means that working women must wait 54 days – nearly eight weeks, or two months – before they stop working for free.
Even in jobs that tend to be dominated by female workers like education and healthcare, the analysis shows that the gender pay gap persists. In education, the gender pay gap is 22 per cent, meaning the average woman effectively works for free more than a fifth of the year (81 days) until Wednesday 22 March 2023, says the TUC.
It also reveals the gender pay gap widens once a woman becomes a mum, while older women take a ‘financial hit’ for balancing work alongside caring for relatives, as well as children and grandchildren.
The TUC is now calling on ministers to boost rights to flexible working. It also wants childcare to be funded from the end of maternity leave to support working parents and better wages and recognition for staff working in early years settings.
‘It’s clear that just publishing gender pay gaps isn’t working.'
Its general secretary Paul Nowak said, ‘Working women deserve equal pay. But at current rates of progress, it will take more than 20 years to close the gender pay gap.
‘It’s clear that just publishing gender pay gaps isn’t working. Companies must be required to publish action plans to explain what steps they’ll take to close their pay gaps. And bosses who don’t comply with the law should be fined.
‘The pandemic highlighted that we can do more to help women balance their caring responsibilities and work. Flexible working is key to keeping mums in jobs and is our best way of closing the gender pay gap.
‘We should change the law so that all jobs are advertised with all the possible flexible options clearly stated. And all workers must have the legal right to work flexibly from their first day in a job.’
He added, ‘Both parents need to be able to share responsibility for caring for their children. Dads and partners need better rights to well-paid leave that they can take in their own right. Otherwise, mums will continue to take on the bulk of caring responsibilities – and continue to take the financial hit.’
A spokesperson for the Government said, ‘The Government has taken significant action to support women at work. We have spent over £3.5 billion in the last three years to support families with the cost of childcare, and in December we announced that millions of employees will be able to request flexible working from day one of their employment.
‘Wages are a decision for individual companies, but we strongly urge organisations to take steps to ensure female employees reach their full potential.’
