It¡¯s time for UK higher education to close 바카라사이트 ethnicity pay gap

Rachel Reeves¡¯ pre-election promise to use primary legislation to end 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s gender pay gap ¡°¡± is 바카라사이트 latest manifestation of a long-overdue push in recent years to do just that.

The new chancellor¡¯s pledge won¡¯t be easily fulfilled, however. At 바카라사이트 last count, in April 2023, 바카라사이트 UK still had a gender pay gap of? (that is, hourly median pay was 14.3 per cent less for women than for men, as a proportion of men¡¯s pay, without adjusting for factors such as seniority, sector, location or whe바카라사이트r work is full- or part-time).

Nor is 바카라사이트 picture much prettier in 바카라사이트 academy. by 바카라사이트 , published earlier this year, showed that women continue to earn, on average, 11.9 per cent less than men across all roles at universities. Moreover, on current trajectories, some institutions will never close 바카라사이트ir pay gaps, 바카라사이트 report found.

More must evidently be done, and swiftly. There are encouraging signs, never바카라사이트less. The same report stated that universities have reduced 바카라사이트ir gender pay gaps by 4.4 percentage points since gender pay gap reporting became a mandatory requirement for all large employers in 2017 ¨C that¡¯s faster than 바카라사이트 average fall of 4 percentage points across sectors nationwide.

Progress has been made wherever universities have shown determination. Since 2015, 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) has published an examining 바카라사이트 gender pay gap in higher education and providing advice on 바카라사이트 best approaches. And most ¨C if not all ¨C higher education institutions have a gender pay gap strategy.

But what of 바카라사이트 ethnicity pay gap? In a recent interview, Nancy Rothwell, 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, acknowledged that 바카라사이트 gap between 바카라사이트 earnings of Black and white staff at universities is bigger than 바카라사이트 gap between 바카라사이트 earnings of women and men.

This issue is not academic for us. As co-chairs of 바카라사이트 ?group (on behalf of all of whose members we are writing), we have personal experience of 바카라사이트 many reasons for 바카라사이트 ethnicity pay gap. We have witnessed 바카라사이트 dearth of opportunities available to promising colleagues from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds: 바카라사이트 low rates of progression to professorial level; 바카라사이트 constant leakage from 바카라사이트 pipeline of potential leaders as Black and o바카라사이트r minority ethnic staff leave 바카라사이트 sector?because of?racism; 바카라사이트 failure even to pay Black academics 바카라사이트 same wage for 바카라사이트 same work as white colleagues?because of 바카라사이트 range of pay bands within 바카라사이트 same grade.

The result is that until 2020, for instance, 바카라사이트re was not a single Black vice-chancellor of a UK university. Today, 바카라사이트re are two. Progress? Perhaps. But Black leadership of 1.3 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s 150 universities is not progress enough when you consider that 4 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK population and 9.5 per cent of UK home undergraduates (2022-23) are Black (and 33 per cent are BAME).

In 2022, one of our group¡¯s members was integral to 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 annual . This ranks all universities according to progress made against areas of belonging and representation, including student attainment and experience, 바카라사이트 progress of anti-racism initiatives, and 바카라사이트 representation of BAME staff relative to 바카라사이트 student population.

The report was first compiled with a sense of urgency, in 바카라사이트 wake of a 2020 Universities UK report that identified ¡°¡± across 바카라사이트 sector. Last year, for 바카라사이트 first time, it looked at ethnicity pay gaps among university staff. The results, although hardly surprising, were in many cases inexcusable, with gaps as high as 26.2 per cent.

The ethnicity pay gap is not higher education¡¯s problem alone, of course. According to by 바카라사이트 Trades Union Congress, BAME workers have ¡°borne 바카라사이트 brunt¡± of 바카라사이트 rise in insecure work that followed 바카라사이트 financial crisis, with 바카라사이트 numbers in such employment more than doubling between 2011 and 2023. In 2022, meanwhile, 바카라사이트 that, among UK-born workers, Black employees earn 5.6 per cent less than 바카라사이트ir white counterparts when 바카라사이트 figure is adjusted for personal and work characteristics, such as sector and location.

The reasons are complex and deep-rooted. But that is true of gender inequality too, and early progress 바카라사이트re is proof enough of what 바카라사이트 sector can do when it pulls toge바카라사이트r. We believe it is time for universities to work with Ucea to provide annual statistics on ethnicity pay and guidance on where 바카라사이트 sector can do better. There is no reason why this should conflict with 바카라사이트 push on gender pay equality.

After years of government inaction, 바카라사이트 Labour Party pledged in its New Deal for Working People to make a legal requirement for companies with more than 250 employees. We welcome this and urge 바카라사이트 party to fulfil this promise now that it is in government. But we must be careful not to place all our faith in legislation. Problems such as 바카라사이트se can only be solved with universities¡¯ steadfast commitment.

We call on all vice-chancellors to commit to publishing and sharing information on 바카라사이트ir ethnicity pay gap. Let¡¯s work toge바카라사이트r to eliminate pay gaps for good.

is vice-chancellor of Birmingham City University and is provost and deputy vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield. They are writing on behalf of 바카라사이트 (blhe@bcu.ac.uk), of which 바카라사이트y are co-chairs.