Union Amicus is launching a campaign to encourage more women to work in IT.

The manufacturing, technical and skilled persons’ union has published its Women in IT Charter which builds on the recommendations of the government’s Women and Work Commission.

It calls for open, fair and transparent pay systems, equal treatment in pay through equal pay audits, and promotion of work-life balance policies.

Peter Skyte, Amicus National Officer, said: ‘The IT sector is not attractive to women with its poor image, long hours culture, and unsatisfactory work-life balance.’

Skyte points out that it makes economic sense for the IT sector to attract and retain more women.

‘Over the next ten years, of the available workforce, only 20 per cent will be white males under 45 and able-bodied. This is a wake-up call,’ he said.

Although women from make up around 45 per cent of the overall UK workforce, within the IT sector the figure is only 17 per cent. They also earn on average, 18 per cent less than their male counterparts who earn £642 gross per week.

Amicus showed its teeth over unfair pay for women when it won a couple of cases against EDS this year without going to industrial tribunal.

It served equal pay questionnaires on the company which resulted in one woman winning a pay increase of 15 per cent and moving to a higher pay grade, while another who learned that her salary was less than that of a male colleague she helped recruit got a 20 per cent pay increase at her next pay review.

‘There should be no secrecy about pay systems. Women should not get less for doing the same job,’ said Skyte.

Other campaign objectives include promotion of flexible working, equality proofing of employment policies, continual and regular training for managers on diversity and flexibility issues, diversity compliant contracting to use procurements to spread best practice and a target of 50 per cent of all large company boards to be women.

Skyte says one of the biggest problems with IT culture is the long hard hours put in because of project-based work, which is often unfriendly to women who must balance working life with bringing up children.

‘Many IT workers become managers because they have technical expertise but are not necessarily aware of work/life balance issues. They need regular training,’ said Skyte.

‘Women need to be visible at a senior level. It makes good business sense for employers as they will attract, retain and motivate better candidates.’

Skyte says the union will work with employers where they are progressive and challenge employers where they are unwilling to change.

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Further reading:
Outdated attitudes are reinforcing IT's gender imbalance
Women are vital to future of UK IT