Students push for workplace pay transparency

Sunday 15 May 2022

More than 250 islanders have backed a drive by a group of students to get local workplaces to share their gender pay gap statistics.

The petition launched by Year 12s at Jersey College for Girls comes as part of their involvement in the 'Lean In' elective, an optional module run by English teacher Danielle Mynes.

The group meets weekly to explore the barriers that still exist for women today, and to become more aware of how they can help shape a more respectful and inclusive society in Jersey and beyond.

The students were shocked at the Gender Pay Gap data from companies who already publish their figures, which clearly demonstrated that a pay gap exists for women in Jersey in 2022. 

They then discovered that, unlike parts of Europe and the UK, Jersey does not legally require workplaces to publish their Gender Pay Gap data. 

Teacher, Danielle Mynes, explained how the students felt angry and frustrated by this. She said: “They felt that this directly impacted them and their generation. They wanted to take action.”

“We wondered how Jersey could ever close its pay gap, if not all workplaces were required to be transparent with how they paid men and women. We know for a fact, that women of colour and women with disabilities are also still paid less across certain industries. The students want their rights protected and this discrimination to end.

“We then decided to take action and create our petition. We know a gap exists in Jersey. We need the law to protect the rights of all people to be paid fairly. 

“Our students are calling on the government to enforce workplaces to be transparent about their pay, and then create strategies that get to the root of why this is happening and put policies and support in place to eradicate the Gender Pay Gap in Jersey.”

Pictured: The students have collected over 250 signatures on their petition so far.

Year 12 student, Harley stated that she wanted to be part of creating the petition “to ensure that future generations don’t have to fight for basic rights.”

Fellow student, Catherine, added: “We hope that with our petition we can influence government to change these backward laws in an effort to close the Gender Pay Gap. I hope that by the time I enter the workforce we will no longer have to fight against these issues that we shouldn’t need to fight for in the first place.”

Ruby believes that this issue is something that should be central to the forthcoming elections: “We think that it is ridiculous that in 2022 our Government still aren’t doing enough to eliminate Jersey’s Gender Pay Gap.

"Without compelling employers to publish this data, there is no way this vitally important issue can be solved and so we believe that this legislation should be a great priority for the new States Assembly after June 22nd.”

The petition already has over 250 signatures at the time of writing but needs 1,000 signatures for Ministers to respond. At 5,000 signatures, local petitions are considered for debate in the States Assembly. 

You can support the students by signing their petition HERE.