Poverty inequality

Scandal of 100,000 more Scots women than men paid less than the living wage

MORE than 100,000 more women than men in Scotland are paid less than the living wage.

Scottish Labour analysis of Scottish Government figures shows 270,000 female workers received less than the living wage rate of £8.45 an hour this year compared to 159,000 men.

In total, 22 per cent of women were paid less than the living wage this year, compared with14.3 per cent of men.

Shadow Scottish Secretary Lesley Laird said the gender pay gap was “unacceptable”, adding that a UK Labour government would increase the minimum wage to a real living wage of £10 an hour by 2020 – a promise matched by the Scottish Government.

She said: “It’s not right that over 100,000 more women than men make less than the living wage. 2017 was the year we saw controversy about the pay gap between male and female celebrities at the BBC – but this issue isn’t just one for the media bubble, it impacts on almost every workplace in the country.

“We need to transform our economy so that it works for the many, not the few.” Holyrood Minister for Employability and Training Jamie Hepburn said: “The full time gender pay gap in Scotland is 6.6 per cent, compared with a UK-wide gap of 9.1 per cent.

“However, the Scottish Government remain committed to seeing that gap closed completely.” He called for the UK Government to devolve employment law to Holyrood.