Journalists at the Financial Times could strike over the newspaper’s gender pay gap.
Following from the BBC’s pay scandal, female employees at the FT are said to be prepared to walk out after discovering that they are paid 13 per cent less than their male counterparts.
The newspaper’s union called a meeting on Wednesday and concluded that it was time for the Financial Times to “put its money where its mouth is.”
An email, sent by Steve Bird, father of the FT’s National Union of Journalists chapel, said that the newspaper was not taking pay transparency “seriously enough.”
The email, seen by Sky News, said, “The gender pay gap in FT Editorial is nearly 13 per cent – the biggest shortfall in a decade – and the company’s ‘ambition’ to reach equality by 2022 is worse than the BBC’s present target of 2020.”
“Working for a private company where even the salaries of the editor and CEO are not disclosed does not inspire confidence in the FT’s commitment to transparency.”
“And recent corporate statements seem more concerned about the commercial implications of gender bias than bringing women’s salaries into line with those male counterparts.”
“After a recent leader in the FT stated: ‘Women are right to be angry at the pay gap’, it’s time for the Financial Times to put its money where its mouth is.”
The news comes as the fallout from the BBC’s gender pay gap still goes on. The BBC released figures into the salaries of its highest paid stars, showing that only a third of women made it to the top earners list.
Claudia Winkleman is the highest paid woman, earning £450,000; while Chris Evans is the highest paid man, earning £2.2 million.
Within the top ten highest-earning stars, only three are women – Winkleman; newsreader Fiona Bruce, who earns over £350,000; and Alex Jones, who earns over £400,000.
Since the report was released, over 40 female BBC employees have signed a letter addressed to Director-General Tony Hall, demanding equal pay.
