This equipment was donated by Thompsons solicitors Women at Work: 90 Years Since the Representation of the People Act 1918 Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
The Law and Equal Pay Adele Baumgardt Women’s National Commissioner Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
Status: Advisory Non departmental public body (NDPB) Reports to: The Ministers for Women via the Government Equalities Office (GEO) Remit: ‘To ensure that, by all possible means, the informed opinion of women is made known to Government.’ Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3rd December 2008
Independent body: –Fully funded by Government but can comment freely on Government policy Partners and contacts –Over 500 partners and 4,500 contacts Commissioners: –Publicly appointed Board with seats reserved for representation from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
Policy areas and groups: Currency policy areas and groups –Violence against women –Migration and asylum –Equalities –International work Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
April 2007 was 12.6 per cent, or 17.2 per cent if mean rather than median earnings are used part-time gender pay gap 39.1 per cent using median hourly earnings and 35.6 per cent using mean earnings rising to 45% in London ethnic minority women, the gap is even higher at 20% Equal Pay – The Agenda Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
The Picture Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
The Picture Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
The Picture Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
The Picture Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
Causes Discrimination Occupational Segregation The Unequal impact of family and caring roles Part Time Maternity Caring Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
The Bad news... We’re still here... Denial of the issue Assumptions that it will work out Women are the problem Violence against women Think we are doing it (without checking) The economic climate Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
The good news... Cases Equality Bill Transparency Group action Comparators Extending tribunal action Extending positive action The kite mark Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
The good news... The Gender Duty Causes Procurement (but is it happening or working?) The National Minimum Wage Childcare – a good news story? Union equality representatives Flexible and maternity extensions? Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
Where next? Where we have always been? Equal Pay Task Force Raise awareness Reform equal pay legislation Make sure employers know how to implement equal pay policy Enhance transparency and build accountability Put equal pay at the heart of social and labour market policy Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
Where next? Carry out equal pay reviews Keep taking cases and using them to make action happen Increase transparency and keep the debate on the table Use the gender duty – more and better – at least until 2011 Women and work commission Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008
The Women’s National Commission Partnership base: Over 500 partners and 4,500 contacts Want to increase diversity of partners to make WNC more representative Join us: Either as organisations or individuals Institute of Employment Rights Women at Work Wednesday 3 rd December 2008