Equal Pay In The Workplace Case Study

The first significant equality legislation in the UK was the Equal Pay Act 1970 . However, the issue of equal pay in the workplace can be traced back to the 19th century. This essay will analyse how economic and social factors of the 19th and 20th century were the reasons for highlighting the issue of equal pay in the workplace. However, with the gender pay gap standing at 19.2 per cent in 2015 , there can be no defining reason for equal pay in the workplace. Consequently, this essay will then discuss how equality legislation has challenged unequal pay in the workplace, but in its reactive approach has failed its objective. Furthermore, this essay will then discuss the remedies for equal pay in the workplace by analysing the impact on both

Consequently the UK did not implement the Equal Pay act 1970 until thirty years after the Second World War. Hence, in 1947 the Labour Government announced that it supported the principle of equal pay, but that it was unable to implement it because it would be inflationary and detrimental to the British economy . Although, after the UK entered the common market in 1973, they would now be subject to Article 119(now Article 157) . Thus, in Commission v United Kingdom the ECJ held that the Equal Pay Act 1970 did not comply with the Treaties requirements by allowing a woman to claim equal pay for work of equal value. Therefore, despite the continued rejection from parliament on economic grounds, it is clear that socialist and economic factors, caused by the Second World War had an impact on bringing about equal pay in the workplace in the UK. This can be seen along with women led movements of 1960’s, such as the Fords Strike of 1968 and Gunter’s replacement by Barbara Castle in 1968, who was essential in pushing for the implementation of the Equal Pay Act 1970 . However, despite such factors contributing to the implementation of equality legislation, it can be debated whether equality legislation is the result of equal pay in the