Derby City Council exhibits significant gender pay inequality despite a comprehensive Equal Pay Review.

Through Freedom of Information I asked for a detailed breakdown of all salaries into salary bands, and between men and women. The results prove to be interesting reading.

In 2016/17 there are employed by Derby City Council:

5806 women ( average salary) £18,110

1520 men (average salary) £24,366

Women represent 79% of the workforce, and earn, on average 26% less than the men.

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64% of the women, and 46% of the men earn less than £20,000 pa. ( 33% of the Council’s total salary cost)

Of that population:

3699 women (average salary) £10,135

697 men ( average salary) £13,370

Again, women on average earn 26% less than men.

The average is dragged down for women, as a high proportion are in very low paid jobs

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In the salary band £10,000 – £20,000:

1864 women ( average salary) £15,126

512 men (average salary) £16, 855

Women earn on average 10% less than men. In 2014/15, and 2015/16 on average, they earned 6% less than men – the gap is widening!.

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In the salary bands from £20,000 – £70,000 ( 65% of the Council’s total salary cost)

2090 women ( average salary) £31,707

807 men (average salary) £32,192

Women earn on average 1.5% less than men – this gap has been consistent over the last 2 years.

Summary

Nearly all Teaching Assistants and Schools Support staff are within the £10-£20,000 band, which is showing the widening gender pay gap. There may be small anomalies in the data, but as the population is so large these should be largely ironed out. The Council’s policy to reduce the annual paid salary to schools based staff is only serving to exacerbate the equal pay problem.

Opportunity for an Equal Pay claim?