14/01/2004

Women paid £559 a month less than men, says EOC

Women are being paid, on average, around £559 per month less than their male counterparts, according to new research carried out by BMRB Access Omnibus Surveys for the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).

To mark the launch of the new EOC fair pay campaign, 'It's time to get even', the commission handed out 10,000 mock pay slips to commuters arriving for work this morning in London, Glasgow and Manchester, illustrating the pay gap between sexes.

And from today, which the EOC has designated 'Check Your Pay Day', a specially adapted salary calculator will be available through the EOC's website which will compare average salaries for different jobs.

Julie Mellor, Chair of the EOC, said: "Forget about sex, politics and religion, pay is the new taboo. In Britain today, the whole business of pay is shrouded in mystery. And this survey also shows that if you are a woman on a lower wage you are even more likely to be in the dark on how much you should expect.

"Discrimination flourishes in this culture of secrecy when people cannot be sure they are rewarded fairly."

An EOC pay comparison between men and women in full-time work revealed that men earn £27,300 a year, as compared with a woman's average wage of £20,592.

(gmcg)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

14 June 2019
Mayor Supports North West Apprenticeship Programme
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Michaela Boyle, is supporting the apprenticeship programme in partnership with training organisations across the North West.
04 January 2002
All work and no holidays for UK’s long hours workers
Nearly a quarter of self-confessed workaholics do not take a single paid day’s holiday each year, a nationwide survey commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has found.
07 December 2001
UK accountants earn more than world counterparts
Accountants in Britain are higher paid than elsewhere in the world according to the Worldwide Total Remuneration Survey from Towers Perrin. The report, which looks at current reward practices in 26 countries, found that the average basic salary for an accountant working in Britain is $71,000, an increase of $3,600 on last year.
01 August 2019
New Head Of Ulster Bank NI Appointed
A new Head of Banking has been appointed to Ulster Bank Northern Ireland. Mark Crimmins, the current Regional Managing Director for Business Banking in Northern Ireland and Scotland will assume the position from Richard Donnan, who plans to pursue interests outside banking after 30 years in the business.
13 January 2009
NI Records Fastest Fall In UK Output
Northern Ireland is being hit hard by the cold wind of recession with local businesses recording the steepest contraction in output of all UK regions. As the global recession hits home and demand plunges, NI is said to be suffering more than anywhere and has also paid off staff at a much faster rate.