Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Adam Afriyie ― Better pay for women – not gesture politics

Adam Afriyie, a tech entrepreneur and Britain's first black Conservative cabinet minister on the pay gap between men and women.


What drove me into politics was a determination to see people treated fairly in the workplace irrespective of their gender, heritage, background or disabilities.

A job is perhaps the best stake in society that one can have. A diverse mix of people in the workplace does more to break down social stigma, disharmony and unfair discrimination as employers and employees recognise that, fundamentally, everyone shares the same hopes and aspirations.

I want everyone to be able to participate in our economy and help build our national prosperity. If we are to continue to make progress then women, men, minorities, those with disabilities and mental health challenges and those from less-advantaged backgrounds must all have the opportunity to find work, gain experience and share in the proceeds of Britain’s success.

The pay gap between men and women has fallen dramatically over the years. The question now is how do we measure any remaining gap and continue to make progress, not just for women but for everyone?

Read complete article here