Disability Pay Gap

Navin Shah AM moved, and Jennette Arnold OBE AM seconded, the following motion:

"This Assembly re-affirms its commitment to achieve a more equal city for all Londoners, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, faith or disability. We recognise in particular the unique leadership role that the GLA (Greater London Authority) can play in setting an example to organisations throughout the capital.

We welcome the leadership the Mayor has shown in achieving this aim. The GLA publishes an annual gender pay gap report, as is required by legislation, but goes further and also publishes an annual ethnicity pay gap report. These documents are a vital step in shining light on income disparity within the GLA family while accompanying action plans which set out concrete steps to reduce pay gaps. This Assembly fully supports these activities.

This Assembly believes that this good practice should be extended to the disability pay gap. On average, disabled Londoners are paid 15% less than their non-disabled counterparts. Disabled Londoners face societal and employment barriers including being given fewer responsibilities at work, false assumptions about productivity and unconscious bias.

Conducting an annual disability pay gap report and accompanying action plan would demonstrate that City Hall is leading from the front in our desire to reduce the disability pay gap for all. As such, the Assembly calls on the Mayor to work with the Chief Officer to conduct a yearly disability pay audit and accompanying action plan for the whole GLA family.

In order to make the most effective use of this information, data collection must also be improved. Therefore, this Assembly further calls on the Mayor to work with the Chief Officer to develop an action plan aimed at improving data collection of disabilities during the recruitment process; improving awareness of staff self-declaration processes; and improving the confidence of staff to self-report disabilities.”

Following debate and upon being put to a vote, the motion was agreed unanimously.