by NADEEM BADSHAH
CAMPAIGNERS have called for action over the lower pay packets of British Asian workers in the civil service – when compared to other groups.
Asian and white staff had the lowest average annual pay in 2019 of £27,200, followed by
black staff (£28,400) and Chinese-origin staff (£29,500). Employees from the mixed ethnic
group were paid £29,600, while staff from other ethnic groups earned £30,000, according to new Cabinet Office data of staff whose ethnicity was known.
For every £1 that white workers were paid, Asian employees were paid less than £1 in every region of England, apart from the south west.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union trade union, told Eastern Eye: “We want a full analysis of the figures carried out and are clear that we urgently need the consistent introduction of pay monitoring for BAME civil servants. Departments should undertake a full Equal Pay Review of their pay systems every three years.”
Civil service staff deliver public services and support the government to develop and implement policies covering areas such as education, environment, transport and defence.
British Asians make up 6.6 per cent of civil servants, while 3.4 per cent are from a Black
background and 0.3 per cent are of Chinese origin. But the figures showed employees of
south Asian origin working as admin officers and assistants, executive officers or senior officers are paid less than their black counterparts.
Labour MP from Birmingham Perry Barr Khalid Mahmood said equality must be focused on all communities having the right to fair pay and senior positions instead of just quotas. “Certain people from certain back-grounds are given jobs, that is the issue. We have to look at how that is done,” he said.
“We have gone past [quotas] now, what level are they employed at and what is their pay.
“It is employing particular communities at a low rate to hit targets; it is just filling numbers.
“The civil service is a good career, has a good pension and is a fairly secure job. People should recognise that, but they should have equality on their level of employment.”
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial strategy recently ran a consultation
on mandatory ethnicity pay reporting with UK employers. In 2019, the average pay for all civil servants was £27,100, which includes regional and skills allowances but not bonuses.
Hephzi Pemberton, CEO of the Equality Group consultancy service, said there is progress being made, but urged the government to tackle the real wage ethnicity pay gap.
She said: “These statistics are enlightening but are not the whole story. From 2015 to pre-
sent day, Asian employees have experienced a 10.1 per cent change in average wage over the four-year period.
“This is versus a 12.1 per cent change for mixed employees and 8.8 per cent for white
employees. However, the real concern is at senior level positions: a Chinese senior civil service level employee is currently earning £1.13 to per £1 a white employee of the equivalent position is earning – the highest pay gap across the entire organisation.
“The report states they are earning nearly £10,000 more than the average wage at that
level. The civil service needs to ensure that these types of pay gaps do not exist so they can draw from the widest possible talent pool possible, creating the most effective and productive organisation possible.”
Victoria Jones is national officer for the FDA union for senior civil servants, which passed a
motion at its annual conference calling for compulsory pay gap reporting to be introduced
on ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability.
She said: “The FDA is dedicated to ensuring that the civil service pay structures are fair and open. It’s important that civil servants feel able to report their ethnicity.
“Twenty-two per cent of the workforce haven’t shared that information with their employer, and with a median salary of £27,090 for the whole civil service, increasing the declaration of diversity data is crucial to understand the trends around pay.
“The FDA will always campaign for fair pay for civil servants of all backgrounds.”
A Cabinet Office spokesman told Eastern Eye: “Building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the people we serve is a top priority for the civil service.
“The 2019 civil service statistics show a welcome increase in diversity amongst civil servants, including a rise in the representation of those from ethnic minorities to 12.7 per cent and an increase in employees who are declared disabled to 11.7 per cent. But we are not complacent and will continue to work hard to improve the diversity of our workforce.”
Damian Talbot