Bridging the Pay Gap - a Low Pay Unit submission to the Kingsmill Review

Summary

Bridging the Pay Gap - LPU's submission to the Kingsmill Review

The Low Pay Unit has produced its recommendations on the measures necessary to close the gender pay gap.

Amendments to the Equal Pay Act will increase the effectiveness of the legislation in combating sex discrimination in pay, but the gender pay gap can only be closed by measures which tackle the social and economic causes of low pay itself. There is a clear link between overall wage inequality and the size of the gender pay gap.

The Unit is calling for:

• A minimum wage formula based on half male median earnings. The NMW has proved its effectiveness by reducing the gender pay gap by 2%. The LPU's formula would establish a link between the earnings of the lowest paid workers - who are predominantly women - and the majority of employees.
• The restoration of the Fair Wages Resolution and Schedule 11 of the 1975 Employment Protection Action to protect workers' pay and conditions in today's contract culture.
• Pay audits to be mandatory rather than voluntary as good practice will simply not extend to those sectors where workers are most vulnerable to low pay.