Are you paying men more than women?

10:29am Monday 7th January 2008

A SOMERSET-BASED organisation is challenging employers to check whether they are paying men more than women.

As public sector employers come under fire from trade unions and no-win-no-fee lawyers for failing to close the gender pay gap, Taunton-based Equality South-West is calling on all employers in the region to carry out a pay review to see whether they are paying men more than women.

Chief executive Paul Dunn said: "There are many good employers who have successfully carried out pay reviews and righted wrongs. We want to know what's stopping the others. What have they got to hide?"

Although local government employers have an obligation to have implemented the 2004 agreement on equal pay, research carried out by the Local Government Employers shows fewer than half of them have met the March 2007 deadline.

Mr Dunn said: "There are no excuses for failing to meet this deadline. Women still earn, on average, 17% less than men for doing the same job, so we want to know who's dragging their heels on equal pay, and why.

"It's unlawful for any employer to discriminate between men and women in their pay and conditions."

ESW is also campaigning to have compulsory pay audits included in the forthcoming Single Equality Bill.