Emma has supported a Labour MP’s Bill to expose the unfair pay gap between women and men.
Emma lent her support to a Bill brought in by Sarah Champion MP which would require any business employing more than 250 people to provide data on how much staff of both genders are paid. Labour introduced exactly the same requirement as part of the Equality Act in 2010, but the Coalition then abandoned this commitment.
The Bill is backed by Grazia magazine and the trade union Unite, which represents over 300,000 working women. MPs also had support from women who took part in the 1967 Ford Dagenham strike, which ultimately led to the introduction of the Equal Pay Act in 1970.
Altogether 258 MPs backed the Bill, while just 8 opposed it. The opposing MPs were all Conservatives. Unfortunately the Bill is still unlikely to become law, because the Government is unlikely to allocate time for further votes.
Figures have shown that on average a woman will earn £210,000 less over the course of her working life than a man. Women’s salaries are an average of 9.7% lower.
Emma said:
“It’s a disgrace that forty years on from the Equal Pay Act we live in a country where a woman can do the same job as a man for lower pay. Low pay is one of the reasons why women are more likely to live in poverty, because employers are allowed to get away with treating women like second-class employees.
“It was such a pleasure today speaking to the Ford Dagenham Ladies. One told me how she never thought they would still be fighting for equal pay all these years later, and that the fight must go on. Sarah’s Bill will expose companies who don’t pay women a fair wage, and I am proud to support it.”