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PREVIOUS SPEAKERS:
E. Scouller

Equal Opportunities Commission

31.1.00

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Title:
Valuing Women.
The EOC’s campaign on equal pay

1. The case for a campaign

  1. Major source of inequality
  2. More likely to be low paid and poor in old age
  3. Reduced economic independence
  4. Pay gap wide and only slowly closing
  5. Support from business, government and employee representatives

2. What our research shows - The Class of 2000

  1. Awareness of gender pay gap low
  2. Existence of pay gap will make students reconsider
  3. Employer commitment to equal pay would influence choice of job
  4. Government and employers are responsible for ensuring equal pay

3. What our research shows - the attitudes of line managers

  1. Managers have stereotyped view of women’s role at work
  2. Having children impacts on prospects for promotion & equal pay
  3. Salaries not discussed in workplace
  4. Men more aggressive in negotiating promotion and salary increases

4. What our research shows - National Attitudes and Awareness of Equal Pay

  1. 77% had never asked colleagues what they earned
  2. 26% had asked for a pay rise
  3. 50% thought the pay gap was unfair
  4. Women more likely to be angry or disappointed by the pay gap
  5. Pay not discussed in the workplace

5. Aims of the campaign

  1. Raise public and business awareness
  2. Involve leaders in finding solutions
  3. Provide support to those tackling unequal pay
  4. Enable individuals to more easily access their rights
  5. Promote the case for legal reform

6. What is the EOC doing?

  1. Disseminating information to stop pay discrimination being hidden

    1. research
    2. publications
    3. case studies
    4. conferences

     

  2. Partnership and good practice work
  3. Use law enforcement powers
  4. Transferring expertise on the law

7. Equal Pay Taskforce

  1. Leaders from public & private sector, unions, legal & academic community
  2. Take evidence from individuals and organisations
  3. Establish shared understanding of the levels of pay inequality & its causes
  4. Find solutions to eliminating pay gap and set target date
  5. Make practical recommendations

8. Changes to the law - EOC Recommendations

  1. Statutory monitoring
  2. Effective method for group claims
  3. Tribunals to have powers to make general findings, recommendations and amend collective agreements
  4. Strengthen formal investigation powers
  5. Public sector duty to promote equality
  6. Amend tribunal procedure

9. Specific projects that the EOC is working on

  1. Publications for individuals on their rights and the law
  2. Publications for employers on good practice
  3. Research and pay code for small employers
  4. Facilitation of employer "benchmarking" group
  5. Information on "like work" for trade union representatives
  6. Work with individual sectors
  7. Exploring possible FIs

10. Conclusions

  1. Closing the pay gap is good for individuals, business and Britain

  2. We want to hear from you
    1. Visit our website on www.eoc.org.uk - this has more details on our research findings on pay
    2. E-mail us on Valuing.Women@eoc.org.uk

     

  3. Give evidence to the Taskforce

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