Shropshire fire service pay gap shrinks again

For the second year in a row, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service recorded no pay gap between the median pay of male and female staff members, while the average (mean) pay gap dropped from four per cent to three per cent.

This means male staff members are paid around 48p per hour more than female colleagues, compared to 63p the previous year.

But a meeting of the Fire Authority’s strategy and resources committee heard bosses were working hard to bring this down even further with a string of new and ongoing initiatives.

The figures represent a snapshot of data captured on March 31 last year, as required by gender pay gap reporting laws. All organisations with more than 250 employees must report each year’s pay gap the following March.

Natalie Parkinson, equality, diversity and inclusion officer, told the committee that the provisional national median pay gap for 2022 was 14.9 per cent.

A report to the committee explained the service’s pay gap reflected the higher number of men in senior roles.

Ms Parkinson told members: “Obviously with all of our roles we have set salaries so it isn’t about having different rates of pay for the same job.”

She said there were a number of ways the service was acting to address the imbalance.

These include the launch of the service’s ‘Voices’ group, which includes a dedicated women’s group and a menopause group, signing up to the White Ribbon pledge fighting male violence against women, updating policies and promoting International Women’s Day.

The service’s first women’s network event was held, and a women’s safety survey was also sent out to female staff members.

Staff can also request more flexible working arrangements.

Ms Parkinson added that recent pay rises awarded to fire fighters may see the gender pay gap increase next year.

She said: “We are aware that this figure may change in the next year in line with some of the pay awards that have recently been implemented, due to the number of males in operational posts.”