NPT Council becomes first Welsh local authority to sign up to the FairPlay Employer scheme

Neath Port Talbot Council has become the first local authority in Wales to sign up to the FairPlay Employer scheme to help tackle its gender pay gap.

 ChwaraeTeg, Wales’s leading gender equality charity, launched the FairPlay Employer scheme to support organisations in achieving a gender balance, greater diversity and to reduce their gender pay gaps. Through the scheme, ChwaraeTeg will work with the Council to understand what issues could be contributing to the pay gap and identify ways to address these issues. This will include ongoing support to address areas such as recruitment, modern working practices, staff engagement and inclusion.

 The starting point is for all employees to complete an anonymous survey about what it is like to work for the Council. The survey is administered by ChwaraeTeg to ensure transparency and will give them a better understanding of the organisation and what it is like to work for us. The results of the survey will be used to enable the Council to identify where it is performing well and where improvements can be made.

 Councillor Doreen Jones, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services & Equality, said:

 “We are delighted to have signed up to the FairPlay Employer scheme.

 “One of the key objectives in our Strategic Equality Plan is to better understand the reasons for the gender pay gap and to identify any actions we can take to reduce it. Having a diverse workforce is vitally important to our success and we recognise the importance of developing policies and practices to support this.

 “We will be working closely with ChwaraeTeg to ensure all of our employees,regardless of gender, have an equal opportunity to thrive.”

 Alison Dacey, FairPlay Employer Partner, ChwaraeTeg, said:

“We are very pleased to welcome Neath Port Talbot Council to the FairPlay Employer Service, particularly as the first local authority in Wales – they are leading the way. By working with us to identify and tackle barriers and inequalities the council can take action to achieve the real benefits of a truly balanced workforce.”

The gender pay gap shows the difference in the average pay between all men and women in a workforce. This is different to equal pay that deals with the pay difference between men and women who carry out the same job. The current gender pay gap for Neath Port Talbot Council is at 4.21%, significantly lower than the Welsh figure of 15%.

Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn cytuno i fod yn Gyflogwr Chwarae Teg

Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot yw’r awdurdod lleol cyntaf yng Nghymru sydd wedi cofrestru ar gyfer rhaglen Cyflogwyr Chwarae Teg er mwyn mynd i’r afael â’r bwlch cyflog rhwng y rhywiau.

Lansiodd Chwarae Teg, y prif elusen cydraddoldeb rhwng y rhywiau yng Nghymru, y cynllun Cyflogwyr Chwarae Teg i gefnogi sefydliadau i sicrhau cydbwysedd rhwng y rhywiau, rhagor o amrywiaeth  ac i leihau’r bwlch cyflog rhwng y rhywiau. Drwy’r rhaglen, bydd Chwarae Teg yn cydweithio â’r cyngor i ddeall pa broblemau all fod yn cyfrannu at y bwlch cyflog rhwng  y rhywiau ac i ganfod ffyrdd o ddatrys y problemau hynny. Bydd yn cynnwys cymorth rheolaidd i fynd i’r afael â materion megis recriwtio, arferion gwaith modern a chyfranogiad a chynnwys staff.

Y cam cyntaf ar gyfer yr holl weithwyr yw cwblhau arolwg dienw am sut brofiad yw gweithio i’r cyngor.  Gweinyddir yr arolwg gan Chwarae Teg er mwyn sicrhau tryloywder a bydd yn rhoi gwell dealltwriaeth o’r sefydliad iddynt, a sut brofiad yw gweithio i ni. Defnyddir canlyniadau’r arolwg hwn i alluogi’r cyngor i nodi’r hyn mae’n ei wneud yn dda a’r hyn y mae angen ei wella.

Meddai’r Cyng. Doreen Jones, Aelod y Cabinet dros Wasanaethau Corfforaethol a Chydraddoldeb,

” yn falch iawn o gofrestru ar gyfer y cynllun Cyflogwyr Chwarae Teg.

“Un o brif amcanion y Cynllun Cydraddoldeb Strategol yw deall y rhesymau dros y bwlch cyflog rhwng y rhywiau a nodi unrhyw gamau y gellir eu cymryd i’w leihau. Mae cael gweithlu amrywiol yn hanfodol i’n llwyddiant ac rydym yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd datblygu polisïau ac arferion i gefnogi hyn.

“Byddwn yn cydweithio’n agos â Chwarae Teg i sicrhau bod gan ein holl weithwyr gyfle cyfartal i ffynnu, beth bynnag fo’u rhyw.”

Meddai Alison Dacey, Partner Cyflogi Chwarae Teg,

“Rydym yn falch iawn o groesawu Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot i wasanaeth cyflogwyr Chwarae Teg, yn enwedig fel yr awdurdod lleol cyntaf yng Nghymru – mae ar flaen y gad. Wrth iddynt gydweithio â ni i nodi a mynd i’r afael â rhwystrau ac anghydraddoldeb, gall y cyngor gymryd camau i elwa o fanteision cael gweithlu hollol gytbwys.”

Mae’r bwlch cyflog rhwng y rhywiau’n dangos y gwahaniaeth rhwng cyflog cyfartalog dynion a menywod mewn gweithlu. Mae’n wahanol i gyflog cyfartal, sy’n ymdrin â’r gwahaniaeth rhwng dynion a menywod sy’n gwneud yr un swydd. Mae bwlch presennol cyflog rhwng y rhywiau yn 4.21%, sy’n sylweddol is na’r ffigur o 15% ar lefel Cymru.