employment – Page 12 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Edinburgh task force driving change for the gig economy

The City of Edinburgh Council has pledged its support to Edinburgh’s vital gig economy workforce, a significant and growing aspect of the city’s labour market.

It comes as the City looks to promote better access to fair work standards for people following a series of discussions with workers, trade unions, academics, Scottish Enterprise officials, and civil servants from the Scottish Government.

This inquiry, led by Edinburgh’s Gig Economy Task Force and spearheaded by the Council, was the preliminary piece of work to understand the key issues as well as the immediate actions to be taken alongside the long-term legislative changes that need to be considered so gig workers feel empowered, are treated equally and are able to make a fair wage for a fair day’s work.

Next week (on 24 March) a report from the Task Force will feedback its seven recommendations* to the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee.

If agreed these recommendations will be developed into an action plan to be brought back to committee in Autumn this year (2022). This will focus on short, medium and long-term priorities which the Council and partners across the city will be asked to focus on to improve access to fair work for people working across the gig economy, including zero hours contract workers.

One key area recognised by the inquiry was to understand gig workers’ rights to accessing the data collected on them and what transparency exists on the way company algorithms use this data to determine how jobs are offered, how much workers earn, and other challenges workers face.

If agreed, as part of the recommendations the Council will build on the findings, and continue to work with gig workers, businesses and the Scottish Government to understand more about existing rights of access to worker’s’ data while also considering whether data driven innovation tools could be used to help gig workers analyse and better understand their earnings and conditions.

The other recommendations* focus on issues relating to licensing and regulation of the gig economy, public sector procurement, alternative business models and establishing a gig economy worker’s charter for Edinburgh.

The short-life Task Force was established in November 2021 as part of the work plan for the Living Wage City Action Group, and after the Council welcomed the UK Supreme Court’s decision to confirm the status of Uber drivers as workers.

Its objective was to understand the real experiences of workers in the gig economy in Edinburgh, while also looking to explore actions that will tackle the concerns and challenges they face and could improve working conditions, rights and quality of employment.

During its inquiry the Task Force recognised that flexibility and ease of access to employment can be a positive aspect of these roles for some workers, usually those using it as a ‘top-up’ to another income stream or those who have caring responsibilities, or for example students.

However, the growth of the sector has been associated with concerns over low rates of pay, poor income security, risk of in-work poverty, poor opportunities for progression, as well poor working conditions and worker safety.

It is recognised that a growing number of people are becoming reliant on gig economy work as the sole source of income, and they tend to be the people most impacted by poor working conditions and unreliable pay.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee and chair of the Gig Economy Task Force said: “As part of the action plan for the Living Wage City accreditation, and as part of our fair work agenda, I knew it was vital that we did some work to look at the gig economy in Edinburgh and the impact on pay, rights and working conditions.

“The Gig Economy Task Force was put together with the aim of getting a clear understanding of where the real issues lie, what powers the council has to improve conditions now, and where we need to focus on, and implement changes, in future.

“It’s pretty clear that there is a strong power imbalance. For many gig economy workers their shifts, performance monitoring and pay are controlled by an algorithm. This can be incredibly disempowering. We need to look at who has access to data, and how that data is used, and understand what reforms could empower workers.

“We also came to the conclusion that we need to look at current licensing powers, and procurement. And look at strengthening workers’ rights, raising awareness of those rights and understanding how the categorisation of workers impacts on their working conditions. For example gig economy workers are classed as ‘self employed’ – but the reality of their day to day working lives is very far from what most of us would consider self employment.

“I hope we’ll come together next week at Committee and agree the recommendations, so that we can get on with these actions, starting the journey to dramatically improving the working conditions for the growing number of gig economy workers in our city.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee said: “This task force was established in response to a motion that we raised regarding Uber and was widened to include other gig economy and zero hours workers by the convenor.

“Our intention is to highlight the rights that these workers should already have and to find ways of supporting their efforts to achieve safer working practices and fairer terms and conditions.”

The Gig Economy Task Force was chaired by the Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, and comprised workers who have first-hand experience of the gig economy and precarious work in Edinburgh, as well as workers’ representatives, academics, alongside relevant policy leads from the Council, Scottish Government and its agencies.

*Gig Economy Task Force Recommendations:

A costed proposal for a dedicated workers’ hub in Edinburgh, providing access to advice and support.
A costed proposal for ongoing campaign work to provide information on and raise awareness on worker rights in Edinburgh, good working practices, and how to access support.
Licensing: The Council should facilitate and host further work with gig economy and precarious workers, businesses and government on issues relating to licensing and regulation of gig economy and precarious employment.
Procurement: The Council should facilitate and host further work with workers, businesses and government on issues relating public sector procurement fair work and the gig economy.
Data Rights and Access: The Council should facilitate and host further work with gig economy workers, businesses and government on issues raised during this inquiry relating data rights and access for workers in the gig economy.
Alternative Gig Economy Business Models: The Council should facilitate and host further work with gig economy workers, businesses and government to hear more about examples observed in other European cities.
A workers’ charter for Edinburgh: Building on all of the above, the Council should facilitate further engagement with gig economy workers and businesses.

The development of this Task Force has been informed by the Council’s Fair Work Action Plan and Edinburgh Economy Strategy, both of which emphasise the importance of fair work that provide citizens with dignity and security of income.

Kaukab Stewart MSP visits SLC during Scottish Apprenticeship Week

Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, marked the end of Scottish Apprenticeship Week by meeting apprentices at the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the city centre.

Based on Bothwell Street, SLC has a growing Emerging Talent Programme with over 100 colleagues currently on its apprenticeship, graduate and internship programmes.

Kaukab Stewart said: “I welcome the innovative work of the SLC Emerging Talent Programme, supporting young and older people to train and developing skills for the wider digital economy.

“I’m particularly pleased to learn about the Career Ready Mentoring Programme and the recognition that people with particular barriers in the labour market are being supported the most in building more equal and diverse opportunities.”

During the visit, Kaukab was also given a tour of SLC’s new collaboration spaces and Stephen Campbell, SLC’s Chief Information Officer, talked about the importance of developing the skills of the workforce and investing in their futures.

He said: “Our apprentices play such an important role in our business. We offer young people the chance to unlock their potential and gain a recognised qualification, as well as valuable experience in the work environment.

“But we also believe it’s vital to develop the skills of our workforce, encouraging their career growth by providing them with the opportunity to upskill. It was fantastic to welcome Kaukab Stewart into our office today during such an important week for apprenticeships in Scotland.”

The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the number of apprenticeships in Scotland and Scottish Apprenticeship Week, co-ordinated by Skills Develop Scotland, highlights how apprenticeships are providing the skills employers need now and for the future.

Edinburgh gender pay gap “well above Scottish average”

In Edinburgh, men are paid 14.2% more than women – well above the Scottish average gender pay gap of 10.2%
East Dunbartonshire has the biggest gender pay gap in Scotland, with men being paid 26.9% more than women
Aberdeenshire is Scotland’s second worst area for gender pay gaps, with men enjoying 22.1% more pay than women

Edinburgh’s gender pay gap is well above the Scottish average, new research can reveal.

In Edinburgh, men are paid 14.2% more than women. The Scotland average gender pay gap is 10.2%

Following International Women’s Day, financial experts Forbes Advisor used new ONS data to explore the gender pay gap for full time employees in every local authority in Scotland to discover which areas have the worst gender pay gap of all.

RANKED: Gender pay gaps in Scotland from biggest to smallest

Scotland area	Rank	How much more men earn than women (%)
East Dunbartonshire	1	26.9
Aberdeenshire	2	22.1
Inverclyde	3	20.1
Renfrewshire	4	18.6
Aberdeen City	5	17.9
Moray	6	17.1
Perth and Kinross	7	16.9
Na h-Eileanan Siar	8	15.8
South Ayrshire	9	15.5
Clackmannanshire	10	15.0
City of Edinburgh	11	14.2
Argyll and Bute	12	13.6
East Lothian	13	13.6
Dundee City	14	11.6
Falkirk	15	11.0
Glasgow City	16	10.7
North Lanarkshire	17	8.8
East Ayrshire	18	7.7
Midlothian	19	4.9
Fife	20	3.4
South Lanarkshire	21	3.3
West Lothian	22	3.1
Scottish Borders	23	2.3
Angus	24	2.2
Stirling	25	1.6
Highland	26	0.9
North Ayrshire	27	-4.6
Dumfries and Galloway	28	-7.0
Scotland average		10.2

East Dunbartonshire has the biggest gender pay gap in Scotland. In East Dunbartonshire, men are paid 26.9% more than women – well over double Scotland’s average gender pay gap (10.2%).

Aberdeenshire has the second biggest pay gap in Scotland, with men earning 22.1% more than women – twice the Scottish average gender pay gap of 10.2%. Inverclyde has Scotland’s third biggest pay gap, with men raking in 20% more in wages than women.

Renfrewshire, Aberdeen City and Moray are also some of Scotland’s worst areas for gender pay gaps, with men earning 18.6%, 17.9% and 17.1% more than women respectively.

At the other end of the scale, Dumfries and Galloway and North Ayrshire in Scotland are the only areas in the country where women earn more than men. In Dumfries and Galloway, women earn 7% more than men, and in North Ayrshire, women earn 4.6% more than men.

The Scottish Highlands, Stirling and Angus also have smaller gender pay gaps than the rest of Scotland. In the Scottish Highlands, men earn 0.9% more than women, and in Stirling and Angus, they earn 1.6% and 2.2% more than women respectively.

A spokesperson for Forbes Advisor commented on the findings: “These figures shed light on the concerning gender inequality which still persists in Scotland.

“It’s not enough to tweet about gender equality in the wake of International Women’s Day, we all have a responsibility to ensure that everyone is equally compensated for their labour.

“Not only do men earn 10.2% more than women across Scotland as a whole, but in local authorities such as East Dunbartonshire, men are earning up to 26.9% more than women, which shows that we have a long way to go before achieving fair pay.”

Barratt Developments Scotland announces biggest ever apprentice recruitment drive

Scottish housebuilder Barratt Developments has pledged to recruit 23 new apprentices in Scotland this year as it doubles down on investing in new talent in response to a growing need for skilled tradespeople.

The 23 new trade apprentice roles, which include eight in the east of Scotland, are being launched as part of the homebuilder’s biggest ever apprentice recruitment campaign, and will see opportunities in bricklaying, joinery, electrical maintenance and plumbing in Barratt Developments sites across the country, which includes both Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes.

The announcement coincides with the annual Scottish Apprenticeship Week, running from 7-11 March, which celebrates the benefits of apprenticeships for individuals, businesses and the wider economy. At a time when young people have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, providing high-quality employment opportunities is central to economic recovery plans.

Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt Developments East Scotland, said: “This is an exciting time for anyone with an interest in housebuilding to join Barratt. The construction industry is flourishing and we are committed to help young people progress through the business.

“Many of the apprentices we’ve hired over the years are now in leadership positions responsible for managing and delivering multi-million pound housing developments.

“As one of the country’s top housing developers we are absolutely committed to investing in raw talent, and there’s never been a more important time to provide these kinds of apprenticeship opportunities.”

A shortage of skilled tradespeople has been repeatedly cited as a major risk to the growth and success of the construction sector, both in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The latest monthly construction market survey (Q4 2021) from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) shows the second most significant hindrance to construction activity is a skills shortage, with over two thirds (67%) of respondents reporting that skilled trades and project managers are in particularly short supply.

The new apprentices, who will start in August, will be based on a designated development site and will learn skills in bricklaying, carpentry, joinery, electrical maintenance or plumbing from experienced tradespeople, as well as attend college each week to gain formal qualifications.

The announcement comes as five longstanding employees of Barratt who began their careers as apprentices with the company, are celebrating a combined service of 230 years.

CASE STUDY

Gage is laying the building blocks for a rewarding career in construction

With qualifications varying from computing to mechanics and panel beating, it’s fair to say that Gage Wells (23) is passionate about learning practical skills that will serve him well in everyday life. However, after finishing his studies he hadn’t pinpointed exactly what he wanted to do as his career.

Although Gage had little hands-on construction experience of his own, he was surrounded by people working within the industry; “My dad’s a joiner and initially I wanted to follow in his footsteps, but after testing it out I realised it wasn’t the trade for me. I also dabbled a bit in plastering and as a sparkie, but it was my brother-in-law, who works for Barratt Homes as a labourer, who told me about an apprenticeship in bricklaying, and I decided to give it a go.”

After successfully being offered a place on Barratt’s bricklaying apprenticeship scheme, Gage is currently in his first of four years. He’s based on-site at Barratt Homes in Winchburgh, Midlothian for two weeks of each month, with the other two weeks spent at Edinburgh College’s Granton campus.

Although he’s only in his first year of the apprenticeship, he’s been involved with the bricklaying process since day one – laying his first brick the very first day he started. Since then he’s also received training on how to safely use blades and ladders and works alongside more experienced members of the team to learn the trade first-hand.

Perhaps no surprise given his qualifications but it’s the practical side of the apprenticeship that Gage enjoys best, something many apprentices would agree on. This is reflected in his hobbies outside of work, where he takes his three younger brothers fishing and camping to learn different survival skills. Prior to starting his apprenticeship, Gage also helped with caring for his younger brother, and he’s passionate about helping to upskill the next generation in the future.

Gage’s also developing his analytical and technical skills and feels he can put his mathematical brain to good use, as it’s incredibly important to be precise when building a house. For some, physically building a home might seem like a daunting task, but when asked how it felt laying his first brick, Gage said: “I felt very accomplished when laying my first brick, it was like I was just meant to be there – almost as if the building blocks had fallen into place.”

Since starting his apprenticeship in August 2021, Gage reckons he has helped to build at least 15 homes in Winchburgh. He loves how rewarding his job is, how friendly the people are and the fact that he always has someone to work alongside him.

The UK is currently facing a bricklayer shortage. Bricklayers have been repeatedly cited as one of the hardest trades to recruit, with more than two-thirds (68%) of construction sites struggling to hire bricklayers (State of Trade, 2020). Skills like Gage’s will be increasingly in demand, and it’s a great time to consider learning a trade. In fact, Gage’s goal when he is fully qualified is to start his own business and support more young people like himself into bricklaying and helping to reduce the shortage within the trade industry while providing a lifelong and rewarding career.

And Gage’s advice for anyone thinking about an apprenticeship? “Just go for it, I have no regrets! I learn a lot of transferrable skills, get to work with great people and it’s set me up with a trade that will always be needed.”

Over £106m contributed to the economy by Barratt East Scotland

– Housebuilder supports 1,652 jobs, completes 732 new homes and 13.1ha of green space –

Barratt Developments Scotland, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, has made a substantial contribution of £256.3m to the Scottish economy, with the housebuilder’s East Scotland division supplying £106.9m in GVA itself.

In the year ending 30 June 2021, Barratt East Scotland has also completed 732 new homes of which 144 were affordable and supported 1,652 direct, indirect and induced jobs across the region.

2021 also saw the largest UK housebuilder reinforce its commitment to creating homes for nature as well as people. The business created 13.1ha of public green spaces and private gardens around the region, the equivalent of 19 football pitches, to help support wildlife on and around its sites.

Barratt is working towards reducing its direct carbon emissions by 29% by 2025 and indirect emissions by 24% per square metre by 2030. In the past year, CO2e emissions per 100m.sq. of completed build area fell to 2.25t. across the East Scotland business.

98% of construction waste was also saved from landfill and 26% of new homes were built on previously developed land, up 54% on the previous year.

Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt East Scotland, said: “As the UK’s largest housebuilder, and one of the most sustainable, we place considerable emphasis on supporting people, the environment and generating strong economic growth for the region.

“To have contributed over £106m to the economy and supported over 1,652 jobs is a fantastic achievement and we’re determined to do even better this year.”

As part of its housebuilding activity, Barratt East Scotland has made £5.4m in local contributions to help build new facilities and community infrastructure. This contribution includes the provision of 320 new school places.

More than £19.3m has also been spent on physical works within communities, such as highways, environmental improvements and community facilities.

Other key findings from the Barratt East Scotland 2021 socio-economic report include:

· Increased support for public services with £23.9m in generated tax revenues

· Over £36,400 donated to local charitable and community causes

· 284 supplier and 335 sub-contractor companies supported

· Increased support for the UK supply chain with 90% of all components centrally procured, assembled or manufactured in-country

· More than £10.7m in retail spending by new residents, helping support 114 retail and service-related jobs

The development of new and future talent remains a key priority for Barratt Developments Scotland and 53 graduates, apprentices and trainees launched their careers with the company in 2021, 15 from the East Scotland Division.

The assessment of Barratt Developments’ performance was carried out by independent consultants Lichfields, who analysed socio-economic impacts through the delivery chain for new housing based on Barratt datasets, published research and national statistics.

Joined up approach for new green jobs

A new partnership approach will be embedded across the education and skills system to ensure employers and government are working together to deliver training opportunities for the new green jobs of the future.

Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation recognises the critical importance of providing the current and future workforce with lifetime access to learning new skills, upskilling and retraining as part of plans to unlock Scotland’s economic potential.

The strategy sets out how public, private and third sector partnerships can work together to help make Scotland’s workforce more agile and support employers to invest in emerging economic opportunities.

This work is designed to help build a fairer and more equal society by ensuring economic transformation tackles inequality and drives up working standards and improves pay.

Actions include:

working collaboratively with employers and unions to increase investment in upskilling and retraining to better meet the needs of employers and employees in Scotland’s transition to net zero
supporting and incentivising employees, and their employers, to invest in skills and training throughout their working lives
expanding Scotland’s available talent pool, at all skills levels, to give employers the skills pipeline they need to take advantage of opportunities
implementing the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan to align Scotland’s skills system with business needs to reach net zero
implementing the next phase of the Green Jobs Workforce Academy and launching a new skills guarantee for workers in carbon intensive industries
developing proposals for a national digital academy to open up access to a range of subjects for all learners

Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “The next decade will be decisive for Scotland’s economy and a key part of achieving our enormous economic potential will be investing in one of our greatest economic assets – our people.

“We want to build on the success of our Young Person’s Guarantee, Future Skills Action Plan and our investment in the Green Jobs Workforce Academy to create a skills system that offers lifetime access to new skills and retraining.

“A collaborative approach across all sectors will support our commitment to lifelong learning to ensure people across Scotland can access the tools they need for the jobs of the future and to participate in the labour market. This will also support employers to access incentives to invest in emerging economic opportunities which has the potential to lead to new jobs, new skills, and new ideas.”

Milestone for Meadowbank

The City of Edinburgh Council-led regeneration of Meadowbank has reached another major milestone this week as Councillors agreed to appoint a development partner for the next stage of the project.

Approved at the Finance and Resources Committee on Thursday following a competitive procurement process, the £1.045million contract will be awarded to the Edinburgh Meadowbank Group, to be referred to as EDMB, a consortium comprising of John Graham Holdings, Panacea Property Development and Miller Homes.

They will progress design and pre-construction works by early 2023 ahead of the start of construction work on site.

The ambition for the development of Meadowbank is to create one of the Capital’s greenest neighbourhoods by incorporating low-car, low-carbon infrastructure with energy efficient homes.

The regeneration will deliver around 600 new mixed tenure homes for sale and rent, at least 35% of which will be affordable with a number being fully wheelchair adapted.

Positioned on the site adjacent to the new Meadowbank Sports Centre off London Road, it will also include space for a range of commercial and community uses on the ground floor including the proposed location for a GP Surgery.

High quality public realm and landscaping, focusing on the industrial and sporting heritage will provide new active travel routes through to Restalrig, while protecting and enhancing the existing trees and environment.

During the pre-development period, work will be carried out to prepare for construction, including developing detailed designs and agreeing a net zero carbon energy solution for the site, contributing to the Council’s ambitious target to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.

The Meadowbank masterplan for the site was approved in October 2020 following an extensive programme of community consultation.

Meadowbank_Web_Update_October_2020_Download

Regular engagement on proposals for the site has continued with the Meadowbank Sounding Board – a group consisting of local representatives, councillors, and council officers – which continues to review progress and ensure the site continues to best meet the community’s and council’s priorities.

A wide range of community benefits and fair work proposals will also be delivered. These will include seven new apprenticeship positions and fourteen new job opportunities; site visits for local schools over the course of the development; employability support events; community enhancement projects, including donations of up to £100,000 to community groups; and all employees and sub-contractors will be paid the Real Living Wage.

Councillor Rob Munn, Finance and Resource Convener, said: “Strong and extensive scrutiny has gone into this procurement process to get us to this point. We’ve discussed this at committee today and agree that we have a pre-development partner in place that shares our vision while also offering us best value.

“We now want to deliver more affordable housing and space for retail businesses, while we hope to provide a much-needed GP surgery provision to benefit everyone within the local community.

“It’s great that these homes are located a short distance from the city centre and will be both cost effective to heat alongside some that will be wheelchair accessible. With the Meadowbank masterplan also having been awarded a ‘Building with Nature’ accreditation we know that development will be setting standards for sustainable design, implementation and maintenance of high-quality green features so I look forward to seeing the results of this stage of the development and what EDMB can bring to that.”

Councillor Joan Griffiths, Vice Convener, said: “Seeing another stage of our masterplan getting closer to becoming a reality is very exciting, especially as it will provide so many homes for the city, contributing to our ambition to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.

“This development and wider neighbourhood, shaped by the local community, will bring a great regenerative feel to this area of the city.

“Through the community benefits programme we have agreed as part of this contract, we also hope to bring new jobs and training opportunities for local people, offering opportunities for local school leavers and children to be part of the vision for Meadowbank.”

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/meadowbank

Employment surge at Surgeons Quarter as it focuses on recovery

A MAJOR conference and events business is reporting that 2022 is projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels – and looks to expand its headcount by 70%.

In a positive sign for Edinburgh’s crucial hospitality and business tourism sectors, Surgeons Quarter – the commercial arm of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) – has experienced demand for in-person meetings and events well ahead of pre-pandemic levels.

The Living Wage-accredited organisation which manages a vast mix of historic and purpose-built RCSEd venues, as well as Ten Hill Place Hotel, Café 1505 and Surgeons Quarter Travel – has seen events and conferences that postponed due to the pandemic rebook their events for 2022 as well as a high level of new enquiries.

This trend which has included new bookings for major conferences such as the Functional Regulatory Genomic Disease Meeting, a conference which will bring together international leaders in the study of genetics of disease in April 2022, has led to Surgeons Quarter returning to operate at close to maximum levels.

As a result, Surgeons Quarter is set to recruit for 60-70 positions during April, May and June.

Scott Mitchell, Managing Director of Surgeons Quarter, said: “It’s a pleasure to be in a position to expand our hospitality teams again and add vital jobs to help us service the increasing levels of business we’re bringing in.

“It’s important that we get the recovery right – hospitality and the business tourism economy are integral to the city’s overall prosperity. We can see first-hand the direct effect it has on employment.

“In addition to our busy events calendar, Ten Hill Place Hotel is seeing encouraging occupancy levels predicted to exceed the pre pandemic levels.

“To further boost our activities in 2022, we are actively planning for the full return of the Festival Fringe for which we are one of the largest operators – and at the end of the year, we are looking forward to a busy festive period of celebration, which we have all missed in the past 18 months”.

The organisation also launched its first TV advertising campaign on 25^th February with the theme highlighting guests will be ‘In Good Hands’ as a reference to its surgical connections and charitable aims which should help further raise its profile.

During the first lockdown Ten Hill Place provided free rooms and meals to key workers tackling the pandemic. Over 2,100 rooms were supplied free of charge at a cost to the company of over £100,000.

Surgeons Quarter promotes, sells and manages all commercial activities held within the RCSEd campus. All profits support the charitable aims of the College which are education, assessment and advancement in surgical standards worldwide.

For anyone interested in joining the dynamic and award-winning Surgeons Quarter team, please email recruiment@surgeonsquarter.com

For more information on events, conferences and meeting space at Surgeons Quarter visit: https://www.surgeonsquarter.com/conferences-meetings/

International guests can book directly by visiting Surgeons Quarter’s own travel agency at: https://www.sqtravel.co.uk/

Gender pay gap means women work for free for two months of the year

New TUC analysis reveals Women’s Pay Day – the day when the average woman starts getting paid compared to the average man – was Friday 25 February. In Scotland, the date was 11 February.

In parts of the country where the gender pay gap is wider, women work for free for longer. And in finance and insurance, women wait until 27 April for their Women’s Pay Day
TUC calls on ministers to boost rights to flexible working, and for cash injection for childcare sector

The average woman effectively works for free for nearly two months of the year compared to the average man, according to new analysis published by the TUC.

The gender pay gap for all employees is 15.4 per cent. This pay gap means that women wait 56 days before they start to get paid on Women’s Pay Day today.

Industrial gender pay gaps

Despite the introduction of gender pay gap reporting, the analysis published by the TUC today shows that there are still big gender pay gaps in many industries.

Even in jobs that tend to be dominated by female workers like education and social care the gender pay gap persists.

In these sectors women get paid much less per hour on average than men, both because they are more likely to be in part-time jobs or are in lower-paid roles.

In education the gender pay gap is 25.4 per cent, so the average woman effectively works for free for more than a quarter of the year (93 days) and has to wait until Saturday 2 April 2022 before she starts getting paid compared to the average man.
In health care and social work jobs, where the gender pay gap is 18.3 per cent, the average woman waits 67 days for her Women’s Pay Day on Monday 7 March 2022.

The longest wait for Women’s Pay Day comes in finance and insurance. The gender pay gap (32.3 per cent) is the equivalent of 118 days, meaning it’s nearly a third of the year before Women’s Pay Day finally kicks in on 27 April 2022.

Generational gender pay gaps

The TUC analysis shows that the gender pay gap is widest for older women, so they have to wait longer for their Women’s Pay Day.

Women aged between 40 and 49 have a pay gap of 21.3 per cent and work for free until Friday 18 March 2022.
And women aged 50 and 59 have the highest gender pay gap (21.8 per cent). They work 80 days of the year for free before they are paid on Sunday 20 March 2022.

Regional gender pay gaps

The analysis also shows that in some parts of the country gender pay gaps are even bigger, so their Women’s Pay Day is later in the year.

The gender pay gap is largest in the south east (18.9 per cent). Women in this region work 69 days for free and their pay day isn’t until Wednesday 9 March.
And women in the south west (16.6 per cent) and the east midlands (16.8 per cent pay gap) have to wait until next week (Tuesday 1 March and Wednesday 2 March) for their pay days.

Regional variations in the gender pay gap are likely to be caused by differences in the types of jobs and industries that are most common in that part of the UK, says the TUC.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “It’s shocking that working women still don’t have pay parity. At current rates of progress, it will take nearly 30 more years to close the gender pay gap.

“It’s clear that just publishing gender pay gaps isn’t enough. Companies must be required to explain what steps they’ll take to close their gender pay gaps – and bosses who don’t comply with the law should be fined.

“The last two years have shown us that employers can do more to help women balance caring responsibilities and work. Flexible working is vital to mums keeping their jobs and progressing at work and is our best chance of closing the gender pay gap.

“All jobs must be advertised with the possible flexible options clearly stated, and all workers must have the legal right to work flexibly from their first day in a job.”

Childcare and parental leave

Frances added: “The gender pay gap widens dramatically once women become mums. We need more funding for affordable, good quality childcare to support working parents – along with better wages and recognition for childcare workers.

“And both parents need to be able to share childcare more easily. Without better rights to well-paid leave, mums will continue to take on the lion-share of caring responsibilities – and continue to take a financial hit.

“We need a complete overhaul of the shared parental leave system. It’s not an affordable option for most working families. Dads need leave they can take in their own right. It shouldn’t rely on mums giving up some of their maternity leave.”