Women's No Pay Day national campaign organised by the Fawcett Society [1], and UNISON [2] challenging the government to close the pay gap. Across the country women working full time earn on average 17% less an hour than men working full time [5]. It's the equivalent of men getting paid all year whilst women work for free from October 30th. That's why Fawcett and UNISON have declared October 30th Women's No Pay Day.

Fawcett and UNISON are advocating clear steps for the Government to take to tackle the pay gap such as compulsory pay checks for all organisations and long overdue reforms to pay laws [6]

Green Councillor for Hillhead, Martha Wardrop said:

"It is shocking that women in Glasgow still face a pay gap. By supporting the Fawcett and UNISON's Women's No Pay Day campaign, we can highlight existing inequalities and back efforts for equal pay for women both in Glasgow and across the country."

Katherine Rake Director of the Fawcett Society said:

"It is truly appalling that in the 21st century women are still not paid fairly. The pay gap is not an inevitable fact of life. The Government must act to stop women's work being discounted and end the pay gap."

National Fawcett Society contact: Jenny Westaway, Campaign Manager (Equal Pay), Fawcett Society, 020 7253 2598 Or 07939 431 129.

Jenny.westaway@fawcettsociety.org.uk UNISON press contact: Mary Maguire 020 7388 6609 or 07771 548957 For information about the Women's No Pay Day national campaign please visit Fawcett's website: www.fawcettsociety.org.uk Notes to Editors [1] The Fawcett Society is the UK's leading campaign for equality between women and men. Founded in 1866, our vision is of a society in which women and men can enjoy equality at work, at home and in public life. www.fawcettsociety.org.uk

[3] Average regional gender pay gap figures based on hourly earnings of full-time women employees compared to their male counterparts.

North East = 13.9% North West = 15.5 % Yorkshire & the Humber = 14.2% East Midlands = 16.4% West Midlands = 16.0% East = 18.2% London = 23.2% South East = 21.6% South West = 16.3% Wales = 10.9% Scotland = 13.6%

UK AVERAGE = 17.2%

Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

[5] Pay gap facts:

Across the country women working full time earn on average 17% less an hour than men working full time. (Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings)

Women working part-time earn on average 36% less an hour than men working full- time. (Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings)

The 17% pay gaps equates on the average salary of £23,600, to women missing out on around £4,000 a year.

At the current rate of change it would take 80 years to close the full-time pay gap and 140 years to close the part-time pay gap. Out of the 27 European Union countries, The UK has the largest pay gap.

[6] For more detailed proposals on tackling the pay gap visit: http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/index.asp?