PUBLISHED: 17:26 04 April 2018 | UPDATED: 17:28 04 April 2018
Public bodies, charities and businesses employing 250 or more staff have been reporting the percentage difference between what they pay men and women on average per hour. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA
PA Wire/Press Association Images
Public bodies, charities and businesses across the borough have reported differences in men and women’s pay for the first time.
Employers with 250 or more staff have to report average differences in pay between all male and female employees by law at midnight tonight. The figures for this year are a snapshot of pay reported on one day last year.
The gender pay gap is not the same as equal pay, which deals with differences between what men and women get paid for doing the same job. Redbridge Council’s Conservative Group leader Cllr Paul Canal welcomed the UK-wide reporting: “It’s really good news. It’s only when you have transparency that you can put in changes.
“When firms make decisions about pay they will do it more fairly now,” Cllr Canal said before adding employers with 100 staff should also report gender pay.
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust – with 6,538 staff – reported an average 30.3pc gender pay gap meaning women earn 70p for every £1 men take home.
The Trust said the difference in pay is due to the proportion of females compared to males in its higher pay bands.
Sports and services provider Vision Redbridge reported a pay gap of 2pc with women earning 98p for every £1 a man makes.
Asked if the measure is crude, Redbridge Chamber of Commerce chairman Geoff Hill said bosses should look at work types and ask if men and women are paid the same. “It’s a complex issue. Based on the principle someone does the same work as someone else they should get the same pay. But when it comes to experience and qualifications that should be added to the equation.”
Mr Hill said more women should be encouraged to take up engineering, manufacturing and managerial roles to help narrow the pay gap.
Women working for Redbridge Council earn on average 3.2 per cent more than men meaning for every £1 a man earns, a woman makes £1.03. This bucks the 18.1pc 2016 UK average.
Council leader Cllr Jas Athwal said in a statement: “We are committed to fairness in Redbridge, and I’m proud of the progress we are making towards gender equality.
“We know there is much more to do to ensure we are a fair and fully representative organisation, but this news is a big step in the right direction.”