Amicus welcomes the gender equality duty which comes into force on 6 April 2007. The duty is key for Amicus because it requires public sector employers to address sex discrimination, promote gender equality and to provide information and consult with unions. The duty has the potential to bring about real progress on equality for women in the public sector.
Gail Cartmail, Amicus’ Assistant General Secretary, commented:
“80% of the workforce in health and social care are women, yet there is a 32% gender pay gap for full-time employees which is much higher than the average pay gap of 17% in this country.
“Many of our hard working and dedicated women members work in this area and deserve equal pay and better promotion prospects. Amicus will be working closely with employers in the public sector to ensure that they do not pay lip service to the gender equality duty and are actually taking action to close the gender pay gap.”
Amicus, however, is disappointed that the new gender equality duty does not extend to the private, voluntary and not-for-profit sectors. Siobhan Endean, Amicus Head of Equalities, said: “The private and not for profit sectors have a wider equality gap than the public sector, and action is needed to promote gender equality at work if we are to move closer to ending discrimination at work.
See full Press Release.
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