Black Women Now Earning More Than Their White Counterparts
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Laura Clark, Daily Mail (London), November 17, 2008
Black women are earning more than white women in Britain for the first time, official figures suggest.
On average, women who described their ethnicity as ‘Black Caribbean’ have taken home more pay in 2008 than their white counterparts. The pay gap grew to 6 per cent in the three months to October, when black women earned an average £462 per week—against £436 for white women.
It is a reversal on the figures for 2007, when white women earned over 7 per cent more than black women on average.
The trend emerged in an analysis of data from the Office for National Statistics, based on the authoritative Labour Force Survey.
But experts at the Equality and Human Rights Commission cautioned against ‘over-simplifying’, warning that black women were still under-represented compared with white women in the senior ranks of many professions despite recent strides.
A spokesman said the trend may be linked to working and residential patterns, explaining: ‘Black women are more likely to live in London, where wages are higher, and work in the public sector, where the pay gap for women generally is lower.’
In addition, it is thought financial pressures mean black women are less likely to switch to part-time work after having children, meaning they suffer less of a pay penalty when returning to work.
Meanwhile many work in health or social services where pay has been rising.
The pay trend follows other strides made by black women in recent years including the appointment of two to the Cabinet, including Baroness Scotland, the Attorney General, and others to senior positions in the judiciary.
Colleen Harris, the first black press officer at Downing Street, told the Sunday Times, which published the analysis, she was ‘cynical about the figures’.
But she added: ‘Black women do work very hard, and often they are the single earner in a household and have the whole weight of a family on their shoulders.’
The figures come at a time of growing concern over the under-achievement of white working-class youngsters, particularly boys.
They have worse GCSE results than almost any other group and are less likely to go to university.
Just 15 per cent of white working-class boys finished compulsory schooling last year having mastered the three Rs, gaining five good GCSEs including the core subjects of English and maths.
For black boys from similar backgrounds, the figure is 22 per cent while for Asians it is 29 per cent and Chinese 52 per cent.
Figures also show black Caribbean girls of any background doing better than their male counterparts.
Some 38.5 per cent achieved five good GCSEs including the three Rs last year, against 26.5 per cent of black Caribbean boys.
(Posted on November 17, 2008)
Comments
BLACKS earn more than the WHITE because the WHITE got laid off to make room for the BLACK and TAN.
Posted by the Soviet Republic of America at 6:12 PM on November 17
I’m glad they are earning more than their white counterparts. I say, once more into the breach of white indolence and apathy. It is the only thing that will wake up some people.
Posted by Bobby at 6:57 PM on November 17
I understand in England, an “asian” is a Hindu or a Paki.
A question for British readers - is Affirmative Action in England limited for the blacks; or are Indians, Orientals and others given the racial preferences too?
Posted by Paul at 10:27 PM on November 17
The first ever black press officer at 10 Downing St told the media she was “cynical about the figures”.
The correct word would be “skeptical” but that’s what happens when you hire a token who speaks Ebonics instead of English.
Posted by Madison Grant at 10:45 PM on November 17
Haven’t black women been out earning white women in the USA for 20 years or so also?
Posted by at 11:31 PM on November 17
Many of the black women here are employed in the public sector which is concentrated in London, where salaries are higher anyway. This gives a distorted impression.
There has been unofficial affirmative action in the civil service and local government for years. This tends to favour Indian Hindus and black women because they are more likely to have qualifications than Pakistanis, Bangladeshis or (surprise surprise!) black men. Orientals don’t need special help and have too much self-respect to ask for it.
The main beneficiaries of black success seem to be BMW and Mercedes.
Posted by Andy, UK at 3:51 AM on November 18
What are the Equality and Human Rights Commission doing about this inequality.
@Paul
Affirmative action is illegal accept for special circumstances. All minorities, black, asian etc. are treated as one.
Posted by watfordman at 4:52 AM on November 18
There’s a good reason for black women earning more on average:
“often they are the single earner in a household and have the whole weight of a family on their shoulders”
A lot of white women, especially the better educated, tend to get married to educated white men who are able to support them when they have families, so that they can take long breaks away from work or work only part time. Black women OTOH are less likely to have a husband who can earn enough to be able to do this. They’re more likely than whites to have families outside of a stable relationship so economic circumstances are more likely to make earning money a higher priority for them.
Posted by Dougie (Edinburgh) at 3:47 PM on November 18