Part-time workers earn a third less per hour than full-time staff

The 36 per cent pay gap between part-time and full-time workers is the main barrier to closing the gender pay gap and tackling in-work poverty, the TUC says today (Thursday).
The warning comes as the Office for National Statistics publishes its latest annual pay statistics at 9.30 this morning.
The ONS pay survey will show whether any progress has been made in the last year towards closing the full-time gender pay gap; currently 10.5 per cent or 15.9 per cent depending on the measure used.
But the pay gap between full-time and part-time workers is far larger - 36.3 per cent - and has hardly fallen in 30 years.
There are currently over eight million part-time workers in the UK, nearly three-quarters of whom are female. However, the proportion of men working part-time today is at an all-time high, with the number of male part-time workers more than doubling in the last 20 years.
A large number of part-time workers live in poverty, with an average wage of just £8 per hour. Two fifths of part-time workers in the UK earn less than the living wage of £7.45 an hour, while two in five part-time workers in the capital earn less than the London living wage of £8.55.
The lack of high quality part-time work is illustrated by the fact that the five highest paid occupations - aircraft pilots, chief executives and directors of advertising and PR, marketing and sales, and telecommunications firms - are all are dominated by men and have a negligible number of part-time positions.
In contrast, four of the five worst paid occupations - waiters and waitresses, bar staff, catering assistants and launderers - are dominated by women and have more part-time jobs than full-time ones.
Recent research from the Resolution Foundation found that while the UK has a high proportion of female part-time workers - the third highest in the OECD - the quality of part-time work is low compared to other countries.
More high quality part-time work is the key to reducing in-work poverty and closing the gender pay gap, says the TUC.
The TUC believes that extending the right to request flexible working to everyone, announced recently by the government, should help more people to adjust their work patterns without having to change jobs. However, employers still need to do far more to support part-time work, like encouraging job shares at a senior level.
TUC General Secretary Designate Frances O'Grady said: "We hope that figures published later today show that the gender pay gap is narrowing.
"However, any small progress will be cold comfort to the millions of mainly female part-time workers who suffer a far larger pay penalty.
"Most women become part-time workers to balance work and caring responsibilities. This shouldn't mean also having to abandon their careers and accept poverty wages. It cannot be right that two in five part-time workers don't even earn the living wage.
"No healthy modern economy should have an enduring gender pay gap and growing in-work poverty. Unfortunately common sense solutions such as senior level job shares and flexible working are rarely available in the private sector, and are now under attack in the public sector. Unless we change the way we work we will never eliminate the pay gap or tackle poverty."

Part-time workers earn a third less per hour than full-time staff

TUC General Secretary Designate, Frances O'Grady

The 36 per cent pay gap between part-time and full-time workers is the main barrier to closing the gender pay gap and tackling in-work poverty, the TUC says today (Wednesday).
The warning comes as the Office for National Statistics publishes its latest annual pay statistics at 9.30 this morning.
The ONS pay survey will show whether any progress has been made in the last year towards closing the full-time gender pay gap; currently 10.5 per cent or 15.9 per cent depending on the measure used.
But the pay gap between full-time and part-time workers is far larger - 36.3 per cent - and has hardly fallen in 30 years.
There are currently over eight million part-time workers in the UK, nearly three-quarters of whom are female. However, the proportion of men working part-time today is at an all-time high, with the number of male part-time workers more than doubling in the last 20 years.
A large number of part-time workers live in poverty, with an average wage of just £8 per hour. Two fifths of part-time workers in the UK earn less than the living wage of £7.45 an hour, while two in five part-time workers in the capital earn less than the London living wage of £8.55.
The lack of high quality part-time work is illustrated by the fact that the five highest paid occupations - aircraft pilots, chief executives and directors of advertising and PR, marketing and sales, and telecommunications firms - are all are dominated by men and have a negligible number of part-time positions.
In contrast, four of the five worst paid occupations - waiters and waitresses, bar staff, catering assistants and launderers - are dominated by women and have more part-time jobs than full-time ones.
Recent research from the Resolution Foundation found that while the UK has a high proportion of female part-time workers - the third highest in the OECD - the quality of part-time work is low compared to other countries.
More high quality part-time work is the key to reducing in-work poverty and closing the gender pay gap, says the TUC.
The TUC believes that extending the right to request flexible working to everyone, announced recently by the government, should help more people to adjust their work patterns without having to change jobs. However, employers still need to do far more to support part-time work, like encouraging job shares at a senior level.
TUC General Secretary Designate Frances O'Grady said: "We hope that figures published later today show that the gender pay gap is narrowing.
"However, any small progress will be cold comfort to the millions of mainly female part-time workers who suffer a far larger pay penalty.
"Most women become part-time workers to balance work and caring responsibilities. This shouldn't mean also having to abandon their careers and accept poverty wages. It cannot be right that two in five part-time workers don't even earn the living wage.
"No healthy modern economy should have an enduring gender pay gap and growing in-work poverty. Unfortunately common sense solutions such as senior level job shares and flexible working are rarely available in the private sector, and are now under attack in the public sector. Unless we change the way we work we will never eliminate the pay gap or tackle poverty."

Fitness-to-work tests need to be fairer and more humane, says TUC

Responding to today's (Tuesday) report by Professor Malcolm Harrington on the government's incapacity tests, the TUC backed calls for assessments to be fairer and more humane.
Commenting on the review, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
"Professor Harrington is right to call for a fairer and more humane system for those being tested for incapacity benefit. While we are pleased that the government is beginning to implement his reforms it is clear from his final review that changes need to be introduced quicker.
"It is essential that ministers follow his recommendation to monitor more closely the performance of private firm ATOS. The TUC shares the concerns of disability organisations that many people unable to work have failed their assessments.
"While there have been improvements in the way tests are carried out there is still a long way to go before we have a truly fair system. Furthermore, the design of the current tests continues to exclude many genuinely disabled people. We agree with Professor Harrington that progress in addressing this has been too slow"

Corby by election sees Labour gain seat from Tories

A big day for the east midlands today as Labour take back the Corby and East Northants constituency lost at the last general election. The full result is on the BBC website here

Dudley Youth Unemployment Summit - new Blog launched

In preparation for the TUC / Dudley Students Union Youth Unemployment Summit on 30th November there is a new blog giving all the details:

http://blackcountryyouthunemploymentsummit.blogspot.co.uk/

This is a free event but we would be grateful if you could register by emailing  Rosa Crawford: rcrawford@tuc.org.uk

Main details for the event are:

Date:            November 30th,

Time:            2-4pm,

Venue:         Dudley College Evolve Theatre, Dudley, DY1 1AF

 

Entrance to the Summit is FREE and we can also provide FREE TRAVEL

 

 

Valerie Vaz MP signs Charter for a Future that Works

On Saturday, Valerie Vaz MP for Walsall South became the 15th Midlands MP to sign the TUC's Charter for a Future that Works. Valerie was appearing at the TUC's Women's Committee 'Communities on the Breadline' event at St Paul's Church in Walsall. To tell your MP to sign the Charter go to: www.tuc.org.uk/blackcountrycharter

Low earners have suffered weakest earnings growth over last 26 years

Commenting on the latest figures on earnings growth over the last 26 years, published today (Wednesday) by the Office for National Statistics, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
"Today's figures show that while the minimum wage has provided an important pay boost to the very poorest workers, inequality has risen throughout the UK over the last quarter of a century.
"The top one per cent benefitted most from the boom, played the biggest role in causing the crash and then protected their earnings during the recession.
"Instead the cost of the economic crisis has been passed on to workers on average incomes, who have lost over £600, while those near the bottom have suffered the sharpest loss of all.
"This shows why we can't return to business as usual. The minimum wage must continue to rise to help the very poorest workers and more employers should pay a living wage to help the low-paid.
"Far bolder reform of executive pay is also needed to tackle soaraway pay at the top.