National Officer Victoria Taylor responds to the publishing of departmental pay gap data.

On 19 December, 18 Government departments published their gender pay gap data. Despite the timing, these findings are no early Christmas gift.

Though the overall gap appears to be closing there are concerning statistics nestled within this data, which show disparity is in fact growing in certain areas. In 2017/2018, the median gap in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport was 8.2%. In 2018/2019, it stands at 22.9%.

The FDA is seeking meetings to understand why certain areas have regressed. But we are also calling on individuals to take action. As I have recently said there are steps any individual can take to tackle the pay gap. Talk about pay with your colleagues. Ask your employer about the pay gap in your workplace. If you are a manager, think about those who work part-time and ask if they are expected to do full-time work in fewer hours.

Most importantly, if you have not already done so, join your union. The more members we have, the stronger our voice, and the more we can achieve in our negotiations with employers.

If you are an FDA member, and want to get more involved in our work fighting for gender equality, get involved in our Women’s Network by emailing me on victoria@fda.org.uk.

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Victoria Taylor is an FDA National Officer and the union’s lead on issues effecting women in the workplace.