Women earning less than male colleagues

Women are struggling to reach parity with their male colleagues over pay in Dundee.

The gender pay gap in the city is 22% – seven points higher than Scotland’s.

The average weekly pay packet is £410 for Dundee’s women as opposed to £526 for male workers.

That has major implications for the Dundee economy, given that women are behind up to 80p of every £1 spent locally.

Lindsey Millen, development officer for Close the Gap, which campaigns for fairer pay for women, said: “Dundee’s higher than average gender pay gap shows that women workers continue to face inequality and disadvantage.

“The stark segregation between the different types of work that men and women do results in women being concentrated in undervalued, low-paid jobs such as cleaning, caring and retail.

“Women’s disproportionate share of caring responsibilities, and a lack of flexible working, also sees women under-represented in higher-paid, management and senior positions.

Ms Millen said the pay gap limits women’s opportunities at work – and in life.

“But this injustice doesn’t affect women,” she added.

“We know that higher levels of poverty among women are intrinsically linked to higher levels of child poverty.

“Women account for as much as 80% of spend in the local economy; a squeeze on women’s disposable income hits local businesses,” said Ms Millen.

“The business case for tackling wo m e n ’ s inequality is well rehearsed.

“Employers who have fair and flexible working practices will see their businesses become more productive and more innovative, and will reduce their costs by attracting and retaining the best people for the job.”

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