Usdaw's Women and Work Commissioner welcomes gender pay gap report as framework for change

Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett has welcomed the Women and Work Commission's report into the UK's gender pay gap as a positive framework to address this inequality which has serious implications for the union's low paid and part-time women members.

John Hannett has served on the commission for the last year examining why the pay gap between men and women in full-time employment in the UK is 17% less for women workers who make up more than 60% of Usdaw's total membership.

“I was pleased to have the opportunity on this commission to create a framework so we can put this fundamental issue of inequality at the very top of the political agenda,” John Hannett said. “The majority of our members are women and it is an issue they have been telling us needs addressing and while this is only the beginning of a long road I think the 40 recommendations we have made will open up this much needed and long overdue debate.

“I was very encouraged that the Prime Minster and the Chancellor were at the launch of this report and that the Government has made a clear commitment to tackling this issue especially when our gender pay gap is the worst in the EU.

“This report doesn't have all the answers but I am confident that the 40 clear recommendations we have made will help us make real progress in tackling the pay gap which Usdaw is determined to deal with.

“As a progressive union Usdaw has been ahead of the game on this issue running an innovative Supporting Parents and Carers campaign designed to tackle the issues of inequality and childcare that contribute to this problem, especially for part-time workers. This report is not merely an academic exercise but a real attempt to offer constructive solutions to a problem that can blight the working lives of a majority of our members.”

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw's Media Officer, Paul Clarke, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469 or e-mail paul.clarke@usdaw.org.uk.
• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union, with over 340,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.
• Journalists can subscribe to receive Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service.

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