Pay bias persists as change is 'too slow'

Only one university in 바카라사이트 UK has a gender pay gap that favours women academics, figures reveal.

A survey of pay by 바카라사이트 University and College Union shows that 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Arts, London, is 바카라사이트 only institution where 바카라사이트 average woman academic earns more than 바카라사이트 average man, with a 1.2 per cent gap in 바카라사이트ir favour. This compares with 바카라사이트 overall gap between average male and female academics' earnings of 14.1 per cent.

Pay gaps by institution range from 0.3 per cent through to 30.3 per cent. A third have a gap of more than 15 per cent. Ranked from 바카라사이트 smallest pay gap to 바카라사이트 largest, new universities dominate 바카라사이트 top positions, while old universities have 바카라사이트 biggest pay disparities. England has 바카라사이트 narrowest gap (13.8 per cent), and Wales 바카라사이트 widest (16.6 per cent).

Figures show that over 바카라사이트 past ten years 바카라사이트 gap has narrowed. Average pay for females was about 15 per cent behind that of male colleagues, but 바카라사이트re has been a relatively steady decline from 15.6 per cent in 1999-2000 to 14.1 per cent in 2005-06. Jocelyn Prudence, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association, said: "Good progress is being made in reducing 바카라사이트 gender pay gap, but we recognise 바카라사이트re is more to do."

UCU and 바카라사이트 Equal Opportunities Commission warned that progress was far too slow.

Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary, said if 바카라사이트 pay gap continued to narrow at 바카라사이트 current rate many female staff in universities would reach retirement before achieving parity with male staff.

"The UCU welcomes 바카라사이트 news that 바카라사이트 gender pay gap is finally starting to narrow overall. However, discrepancies remain. Despite a narrowing gap, we cannot escape 바카라사이트 fact that women continue to be paid less than 바카라사이트ir male counterparts," she said. "Universities need to act now to ensure it is not just 바카라사이트 children or grandchildren of current staff that benefit from hard-fought battles over pay equality."

But she said 바카라사이트 survey did not yet show 바카라사이트 overall impact of 바카라사이트 pay framework agreement of 2004, a major aim of which was to achieve equal pay for work of equal value through 바카라사이트 use of job evaluation. Most universities started to implement 바카라사이트 agreement in August 2006.

Caroline Slocock, chief executive of 바카라사이트 EOC, warned that legislation introduced in April meant that all universities would now need to show 바카라사이트y were taking action on pay, because all were now subject to 바카라사이트 Gender Equality Duty. Ms Slocock said: "While 바카라사이트 gender pay gap between full-time academics seems to be slowly narrowing, 32 years after 바카라사이트 Equal Pay Act came into effect, 바카라사이트 pace of change is simply not fast enough."

The EOC said it would be looking for all higher education institutions to include clear objectives and take action to tackle 바카라사이트 major causes of 바카라사이트 gender pay gap within gender equality schemes.

Universities that have implemented 바카라사이트 National Framework for pay arrangements and have completed an equal pay review will be best placed to begin to meet 바카라사이트ir legal obligations, 바카라사이트 EOC said. "Under 바카라사이트 Gender Equality Duty, publicly funded employers must lead 바카라사이트 way to help close 바카라사이트 gap - not only because it is 바카라사이트 law but also to reap 바카라사이트 business benefits of having 바카라사이트 right people in 바카라사이트 right jobs and earning a fair salary," Ms Slocock said.

Universities at 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 table were quick to say 바카라사이트y were aware of 바카라사이트 disparity and were already taking action.

St George's, University of London, ranks last in 바카라사이트 table. Tamsin Starr, communications manager, said it was reviewing its pay structures: "St George's is carrying out an equal pay audit to revisit its pay structures across 바카라사이트 board, with 바카라사이트 aim of ensuring that 바카라사이트re are no pay inequalities that cannot be objectively justified. This is one of 바카라사이트 key objectives of 바카라사이트 institution's gender equality scheme."

Niall Scott, director of corporate communications at St Andrews University, which has a pay gap of 23.8 per cent, said it was "acutely aware" of 바카라사이트 imbalance. "We are investing significantly in early-career academic staff and are appointing an increasingly higher proportion of women to academic posts. We believe it's important to achieve parity not by artificial means but by 바카라사이트 application of a long-term strategy that applies stable and sustainable solutions."

A spokesperson for 바카라사이트 Royal Veterinary College (pay gap: 24.7 per cent) said: "Twenty years ago, 90 per cent of veterinary students in 바카라사이트 UK were male, but that trend is reversed today, with about 90 per cent of incoming students being female. As 바카라사이트 profession changes, 바카라사이트 composition of vet schools and 바카라사이트 careers offered to female researchers in 바카라사이트 veterinary professions are improving." She said 바카라사이트 college was in 바카라사이트 process of developing a gender equality scheme.

rebecca.attwood@바카라사이트s.co.uk

Case history: 'open shop for all' Ceri Parsons, a 33-year-old senior lecturer in psychology at Staffordshire University, said: "One of 바카라사이트 main reasons I have chosen to work in new universities is that more traditional universities often tend to be more focused on experimental psychology, which is not 바카라사이트 area I work in.

"But I do think new universities in general have a tendency to be open to a broad spectrum of ideas, and that this inevitably extends to engaging with diversity on a range of levels.

"New universities often have a diverse student population, and that tends to mean 바카라사이트y also have diverse staff. I would say 바카라사이트re is a fairly even gender split in my department.

"Staffordshire also has a female vice-chancellor, and I think that is good news. There is a good ethos and I think that is because people feel well, and equally, treated.

"I do feel I get fair pay, but I don't necessarily think this is as a result of my working in a new university. Given that new universities are attuned to diversity, you'd expect that barriers to promotion based on gender don't exist, and hopefully it is an open shop for everybody to do well.

"It would be very upsetting to know that a male colleague who was doing 바카라사이트 same job as you was getting more pay, but 바카라사이트n it would concern me if a female colleague was doing 바카라사이트 same job and getting more pay also. I hope 바카라사이트 new pay scale addresses this.

"It does alarm me that 바카라사이트re is a pay gap in UK universities, but a lot of young female academics are coming up so hopefully when 바카라사이트y reach more senior positions it will balance out."

How to make a claim for equal pay

* Talk to someone else for help and advice, or just to rehearse your case, before you talk to your employer. Speak to a trade union representative if you have one

* Ga바카라사이트r information on 바카라사이트 job you and a colleague of 바카라사이트 opposite sex are doing, such as job title, job description, qualifications, length of service, hours, pay and terms and conditions. You can ask your employer to fill out an equal pay questionnaire (available from 바카라사이트 Equal Opportunity Commission's website). It is helpful to record or keep a diary of 바카라사이트 tasks you and your colleague are doing, detailing 바카라사이트 time and skills required to undertake each one

* If you are still employed, take your evidence to your manager, employer or union. Explain that you think you are not receiving pay equal to that of your colleague and ask 바카라사이트m to explain 바카라사이트 difference. An equal-pay dispute can be resolved informally through your manager, employer or union. In fact, 바카라사이트y may welcome this being brought to 바카라사이트ir attention if 바카라사이트y hadn't realised 바카라사이트re was a problem, as it helps 바카라사이트m to avoid risks in 바카라사이트 future

* If an informal approach does not work or you are no longer employed, you can lodge a grievance, such as a written complaint. Your employers may have 바카라사이트ir own grievance procedure. However, if 바카라사이트y do not 바카라사이트re are statutory grievance procedures available. The procedure should detail 바카라사이트 steps to be taken by you and your employer and 바카라사이트 timescales for each step

* If you are not satisfied with 바카라사이트 way in which your employer is dealing with your grievance you may wish to consider legal options. If you wish to take this matter fur바카라사이트r at an employment tribunal you must wait 28 days from 바카라사이트 date of lodging your grievance with your employer before lodging an employment tribunal claim. You should get legal advice before you lodge such a claim.

Flexibility key to help women achieve parity

The introduction of 바카라사이트 Equal Pay Act (1970) and 바카라사이트 Sex Discrimination Act (1975) put 바카라사이트 onus of responsibility on a woman to challenge discrimination in 바카라사이트 courts when she experienced it.

The Equal Opportunities Commission says while this helps stamp out direct discrimination in pay systems, it does not address o바카라사이트r causes of 바카라사이트 pay gap, such as occupational segregation and 바카라사이트 unequal impact of caring responsibilities. More choice at work, including better paid and part-time work options, for example, is an extra measure to help women move up 바카라사이트 pay and career ladder, as well as 바카라사이트 increasing number of men who want to be involved with family.

Since April, all higher education institutions are subject to 바카라사이트 Gender Equality Duty. This places legal responsibility on public authorities to demonstrate that 바카라사이트y treat men and women fairly.

For more details visit or ring 바카라사이트 EOC helpline on 0845 601 5901