SCOTLAND’S gender pay gap has risen by 30%, meaning women in Scotland can expect to earn around £3000 less a year than men.
New figures uncovered by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) found a “staggering” rise in the mean gender pay gap, from 6.4% in 2023 to 8.3% in 2024.
The figures, obtained using Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings data, show the typical man saw an increase of a £1 to their pay pack, while the typical woman only saw their pay go up by 74p.
The typical woman in Scotland earns £16.74 an hour, while the typical man earns £18.44 an hour.
The data shows a significant reversal of previous trends which showed the pay gap was narrowing.
The analysis comes as Unison local government workers continue their dispute on pay and conditions after targeting the First Minister's constituency, with around three-quarters of the local government workforce estimated to be female.
The STUC called the rise “scandalous”, as STUC general secretary Roz Foyer urged Scottish Government ministers to “pay up for women”.
It comes as the UK Budget – delivered last Wednesday – allocated £1.5 billion in additional funding for the Scottish Government.
Foyer (below) said: “It’s simply staggering and scandalous that, despite progress having been made, the gender pay gap in Scotland has risen by 30%. Women can now expect to take home an inexcusable £3000 less than their male counterparts.
“With the gap growing more in the public sector than the private sector, it confirms entirely what trade unions have long been calling for: public sector workers deserve better pay.
“The Scottish Government must pay up for women. With three-quarters of the local government workforce being female and with over £1.5 billion having landed into the lap of the Scottish Government as a result of the UK Government's Budget, there is simply no excuse for them to ignore the voices of women workers any longer.”
Foyer called on ministers to “return to the negotiating table”.
She added: “Our public sector workers deserve a wage that represents their worth and it’s entirely within the power of the Scottish Government to make that happen.”
Gender pay gap lower than rest of the UK
The Scottish Government said Scotland still has a lower gender pay gap as well as more women earning the real living wage or more compared to the rest of the UK.
A Scottish Government spokesperson told The Herald: “While employment law is reserved, the Scottish Government is working to reduce the gender pay gap and promote equality through its Fair Work approach.
“The pay offer for local government workers in Scotland is better than offers in the rest of the UK. It will see the lowest paid workers receive a 5.63% pay increase and most local government workers receive more than 4%.
“This delivers what GMB, Unite and Unison asked for from councils at the end of July.”
