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    1. Life
    2. Money and Work

    Today Is Equal Pay Day: This Is Why That's Absolutely Terrifying

    From now on women will effectively work for free until the New Year.

    By Suzannah Ramsdale
    Published 4 November 2014 In Reports

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    Equal pay day
    Equal pay day
    (Image credit: Rex)
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    From now on women will effectively work for free until the New Year.

    A widening of the gender gap means that from today women will effectively work for free up until the New Year.

    Today is Equal Pay Day and it's come three days earlier than last year's, when it fell on November 10th, because the UK gender gap is worsening. The gender pay gap closed by a third between 1997 and 2010 in the UK but is now increasing. Very worrying.

    Because of the difference in male and female salaries only men will be paid for their work for the next 57 days until the end of the year.

    Here are a few shocking facts that should anger you:

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    1. Women currently earn, on average, £2.53 less per hour than men do. That's 80p for every £1 a man earns.

    2. Women working full-time still earn £5,200 (15.7%) less per year, on average, than their male colleagues.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

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    3. The gap between men and women's average earnings currently stands at 19.7%.

    4. Men are twice as likely to earn over £50,000 per year than a woman.

    5. Women in Britain have a worse chance than those in Nicaragua, Bulgaria, The Philippines and Burundi for women having an equal chance of a good education, career and health, according to the World Economic Forum.

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    6. Despite all the above, equal pay laws have been in place for 40 years.

    WTF?

    Labour's Shadow Women and Equalities Minister Gloria de Piero said: 'Women are working an extra three days for free this year because the pay gap is back on the rise. Women shouldn't have to wait another 50 years for Equal Pay which is why Labour will be calling a vote in Parliament to get big companies to publish their pay gap. If this Government doesn't act, a Labour Government will.'

    Does this anger you as much as it does us? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.

    Suzannah Ramsdale
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