Gender pay gap won’t close for another 30 years, warns trade unions group

The gender pay gap will not close for another three decades at the current rate of change, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has warned following an analysis of earning statistics across the UK workforce.

The trade unions group states that the average woman employee effectively works for the first 47 working days of the year for free when compared to her male counterparts. This calculation, based on the gap between average male and female hourly earnings, highlights that women effectively stop being paid relative to men on 21 February, a date the TUC marks as the point when women collectively start working without remuneration.

According to the TUC’s findings, the disparity is primarily driven by the persistent undervaluation of female-dominated sectors, such as care and administration, and the prevalence of women working in part-time roles, which typically offer lower hourly wages and fewer opportunities for progression. The analysis notes that while the pay gap has narrowed slowly over recent decades, the speed of closure has plateaued, projecting full parity will now only be reached around 2054.

Frances O’Grady, TUC General Secretary, urged the government to take immediate action to accelerate the timeline. The union group called for the implementation of mandatory reporting for all employers on their gender pay data, specifically demanding that companies publish action plans detailing how they intend to close their gaps.

The TUC also advocated for significant reforms to ensure better access to genuinely flexible working arrangements from day one of employment. It stressed that failure to address the systemic issues contributing to pay inequality means millions of women across the country continue to lose out on vital income. The organisation maintains that stronger collective bargaining powers for unions would also help drive up wages in low-paid, female-dominated industries, reducing the current earnings deficit.

The warning comes amid mounting pressure on the government to strengthen enforcement mechanisms regarding equal pay legislation and improve career pathways for women returning to the workforce after career breaks.