The Employment Rights Bill is essential for women’s pay and equality in the UK, the TUC has claimed.
According to the union body, which made the comment on Fawcett Society’s Equal Pay Day (20 November), the government’s new policies will go a long way in helping to close the gender wage divide.
With the national campaign marking the day of the year women effectively stop getting paid because of the wage disparity, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Our economy isn’t working for women. At current rates of progress, it will still take 16 years to close the gender pay gap. This is why Labour’s Employment Rights Bill is so vital for women’s pay and equality.”
He believes the bill will make a huge difference by requiring large employers to set out clear action plans on how they will close their gender pay gaps rather than just report them.
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Nowak added: “We know women still take on the lion’s share of caring responsibilities – a key driver of the gender pay gap – so fixing care is critical to raising their pay. The Employment Rights Bill will also introduce a fair pay agreement in social care, to stop the race to the bottom on pay and conditions. This will help recruit and retain staff.”
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The TUC highlighted that other policies in the bill, which begins its committee stage on 25 November, will also help close the gap. These include the strengthening of flexible working rights, banning of exploitative zero-hours contracts, the provision of day-one rights for employees “on the job” and extending redundancy and unfair dismissal protections for pregnant women and new parents.
