The most recent gender pay gap figures reveal one North East council pays women 89p to every £1 men get by median hourly pay, writes Local Democracy Reporter, Austen Shakespeare.
Figures from the GOV.UK gender pay gap tool show that South Tyneside Council has the largest gender pay gap by median hourly wage among its fellow regional local authorities. Female members of staff see around 11% less in their pay packets than their male colleagues may do.
The median hourly pay is figure you are left within the middle when all hourly pay is arranged in order from highest to lowest. The pay gap is distinct from equal pay for the same work with is guaranteed under the law.
The most recent figures for each council’s pay gap is as follows:
- South Tyneside Council: 11% difference, equating to 89p to the £1
- Gateshead Council: 6.8% difference, equating to 93p to the £1
- Sunderland City Council: 3.6% difference, equating to 96p to the £1
- Durham County Council: 3.23% difference, equating to 97p to the £1
- Northumberland County Council: 3.2% difference, equating to 97p to the £1
- Newcastle City Council: 1.7% difference, equating to 97p to the £1
- North Tyneside Council: 0% difference, equating to £1 to the £1
A spokesperson for South Tyneside Council said: “The Council is an equal pay employer. The gender pay gap data highlights the difference between the average pay of men and women; it is not a measure of equal pay, which relates to what men and women are paid for the same roles or work of similar or equal value.
“The Council is responsible for delivering a wide variety of services in areas as diverse as adult social Care, ICT, finance, legal services, and regeneration. Roles within these areas are very different in terms of requirements and hours of work and certain roles have, historically seen a gender bias. Roles in areas such as refuse collection, ICT and construction services have tended to attract more men, whereas roles in areas such as social care, customer services, catering and cleaning have tended to attract more women, especially in areas where a high proportion of roles are part time.
“Our pay gap has continued to decrease year on year, and we are committed to reducing it further. We have prioritised key areas for action and review on a regular basis. This includes closing the gap in areas around flexible working, employee development and recruitment and selection processes to ensure there is no gender bias in recruiting decisions.”
A Gateshead Council spokesperson said: “We’re pleased this year’s figures show progress as we continue to reduce the gender pay gap at Gateshead Council.
“We want to be an employer of choice, and we’ve made a range of changes to improve the experience of working here, including strengthening our recruitment processes and introducing new policies to support colleagues through the menopause or those experiencing domestic abuse. There is more to do, but this improvement shows women who work for the council, or who may work for us in the future, that we’re making a positive difference and moving in the right direction.”
Austen Shakespeare
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
