86% of working mums back full pay transparency

Some 86% said there should be, compared to 8% who didn’t and 6% who didn’t know.

One woman said: “This is the only way to promote equality and to prevent discrimination based on gender, handicap, class, race etc. We should be made aware of current rates for same role jobs.”

However, some of those who objected said earnings should be a private matter. Another stated: “People are not equal in their abilities and performance, so shouldn’t be paid the same even for the same job. However, if the difference is reflected in the salary and this difference is known to everyone, it will lead to jealousy and disputes. Ultimately, performance and pay are subjective, so transparency would not help anyone.”

The poll comes after the BBC’s former China correspondent Carrie Gracie gave evidence at the House of Commons about pay at the corporation. She says she asked when she decided to take the job to be paid the same as male international editors. However, when she found, to her shock, that she was being paid considerably less, she was told that this was because she was “in development” for her first three years in post. A BBC review found no evidence of gender bias in pay decision-making in the corporation. This has been much disputed by members of the campaign group BBC Women who want to see equal pay for equal work. Since then an equal pay case has been lodged against Tesco over differences in pay for mainly female shop workers and mainly male warehouse workers.

There is also heightened interest in pay differentials due to gender pay legislation which highlights the complex issues which contribute to the gender pay gap. This includes the lack of women in senior management positions.

According to the legislation, larger employers have until April to publish their figures. Many have yet to do so.

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