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Carrie Gracie says support for BBC pay protest shows hunger for change Carrie Gracie: 'I could not collude in unlawful pay discrimination'
(about 3 hours later)
The BBC’s China editor, Carrie Gracie, says the support she has received for resigning in protest over unequal pay demonstrates a hunger for change. The BBC presenter Carrie Gracie has said she could not collude in unlawful pay discrimination after resigning as the corporation’s China editor in protest at unequal remuneration.
Within hours of posting an open letter to licence fee payers citing a “crisis of trust” at the BBC over men being paid more than women, Gracie has been sent scores of messages of support from a string of prominent broadcasters and politicians. In her first full interview since leaving the post, Gracie said she was offered a 33% pay increase but rejected it, claiming she wanted equality, not more money.
Despite being the subject of a news story, Gracie took the unusual step of going ahead with a scheduled appearance as presenter of the BBC’s Today programme on Radio 4. Speaking on Monday to BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, Gracie said: “I could not go back to China and collude knowingly in what I consider to be unlawful pay discrimination. Nor could I stay silent and watch the BBC perpetuate a failing pay structure by discriminating against women.”
She told the programme how much she had been moved by the support. Interviewed by her co-presenter John Humphrys, whose £600,000-plus pay packet is at least four times more than Gracie’s, she said: “The support that I’ve had in the last few hours over this … does speak to the depth of hunger for an equal, fair and transparent pay system.”
She added: “What is lovely for me is that people are mentioning my China work, because I would not wish to be remembered for ever as the woman who complained about money.”
Humphrys interrupted her to say “too late, too late”, before going on to praise his colleague’s stint as China editor.
Gracie added: “I want to be remembered as the person who did some fine China work, and enough people are saying that for me to feel that that will not get buried as a result of all this.”
"The support that I've had speaks to the depth of hunger for an equal, fair and transparent pay system."@BBCCarrie says she has been moved by the support for her resignation over gender pay row. More here 👉 https://t.co/pMJE08Hsoq#r4today pic.twitter.com/J1KuTF40kg"The support that I've had speaks to the depth of hunger for an equal, fair and transparent pay system."@BBCCarrie says she has been moved by the support for her resignation over gender pay row. More here 👉 https://t.co/pMJE08Hsoq#r4today pic.twitter.com/J1KuTF40kg
Sarah Montague, the least well paid of the regular Today programme presenters, was one of 130 broadcasters and producers to sign a message of support backing Gracie’s protest. She confirmed that she first lodged an equal pay complaint in August last year after the BBC was forced to disclose the salaries of employees earning more than £150,000 a year.
It urged the BBC to “urgently address pay inequality across the corporation”. And it pointed out that 200 women across the BBC had made pay complaints. In a letter to licence fee payers, Gracie said she was dismayed to discover the BBC’s two male international editors earned “at least 50% more” than their two female counterparts.
The North America editor, Jon Sopel, earned between £200,000 and £249,999, while the Middle East editor, Jeremy Bowen, earned between £150,000 and £199,999.
Gracie said: “My pay is £135,000. The BBC offered to raise that to £180,000, however I was not interested in more money, I was interested in equality. I didn’t feel it was a solution.
“I felt it was a divide-and-rule botched solution that would not make the BBC better … This was not equality; there was still a big gap between myself and my male peers.”
To circumvent BBC impartiality rules, Gracie was interviewed by the Guardian contributor and former media editor Jane Martinson. She was asked whether she wanted a pay cut for male journalists.
“I believe in public service broadcasting and I do think salaries at the top are unacceptably high both for presenters and stars of various kinds, and also for managers. But I don’t have the information to say this needs to happen … I do stand by what I say about the BBC being a secretive organisation on pay and I think it is very inappropriate,” she said.
Gracie said she had yet to hear the outcome of a grievance hearing held in November and had resigned in frustration. “The BBC said it hoped to have a grievance outcome before Christmas, but there is still no grievance outcome to this day. And I just decided enough was enough,” she said.
She also pointed out that her role was one of the most important and demanding at the BBC.
“It is very hard to continue to do the job of China editor, which I do see as one of the most difficult reporting jobs of our time. I chase around being surveilled the whole time and dealing with intimidation, dealing with police harassment … I speak Chinese, I have a degree in Chinese, I’ve been reporting the story for nearly 30 years. I just feel I work hard,” she said.
Within hours of her resignation, Gracie was sent messages of support from prominent broadcasters and politicians.
Despite being the subject of a news story, she took the unusual step of going ahead with a scheduled appearance as a presenter of the BBC’s Today programme on Radio 4.
She told the programme how much she had been moved by the support. Briefly interviewed by her co-presenter John Humphrys, whose £600,000-plus pay packet is at least four times more than hers, Gracie said: “The support that I’ve had in the last few hours over this … does speak to the depth of hunger for an equal, fair and transparent pay system.
“What is lovely for me is that people are mentioning my China work, because I would not wish to be remembered for ever as the woman who complained about money.”
Humphrys interrupted her to say “too late, too late”, before going on to praise his colleague’s stint as China editor.
Gracie said: “I want to be remembered as the person who did some fine China work, and enough people are saying that for me to feel that will not get buried as a result of all this.”
Sarah Montague, the least well-paid of the regular Today programme presenters, was one of 130 broadcasters and producers to sign a message of support for Gracie’s protest.
Statement from #bbcwomen in support of @BBCCarrie #EqualPay #IStandWithCarrie pic.twitter.com/tueh1aCW8WStatement from #bbcwomen in support of @BBCCarrie #EqualPay #IStandWithCarrie pic.twitter.com/tueh1aCW8W
Many of the BBC’s most prominent names also backed Gracie’s stance and hailed her bravery. It urged the BBC to “urgently address pay inequality across the corporation” and pointed out that 200 women at the BBC had made pay complaints.
.@BBCCarrie is an outstanding and principled journalist and I am proud to stand with her #bbcwomen #equalpay #istandwithcarrie A number of politicians voiced their support, including the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, the shadow work and pensions secretary, Debbie Abrahams, and the former deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman.
What an amazing front page @thetimes - ! the women no longer prepared to put up with the stuff they shouldn't ( wasn't actually including reshuffle ) https://t.co/SBWTwBRQJu
This is a letter to everyone who loves and values the BBC from one of its finest journalists. @BBCCarrie has resigned as China editor. Please read and retweet. It’s time for #equalpay https://t.co/eSMU3x5aCS #bbcwomen #IStandWithCarrie
Rival broadcasters also backed her protest. Lindsey Hilsum, international editor at Channel 4 News, criticised the BBC for not valuing their “fluent Chinese speaking China editor” and “renowned authority”.
It seems the BBC does not value @BBCCarrie - its fluent Chinese speaking China Editor, a renowned authority as well as a great journalist - bcs it won’t pay her the same as a man. https://t.co/3v94InDcQU
A number of politicians also voiced their support, including Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon; the shadow work and pensions secretary, Debbie Abrahams; and Labour’s former deputy party leader Harriet Harman.
This @BBCCarrie letter is a must read. All respect to her. https://t.co/9CvZrsyWLRThis @BBCCarrie letter is a must read. All respect to her. https://t.co/9CvZrsyWLR
BBC News - BBC China editor Carrie Gracie quits post in equal pay row https://t.co/uS1fsHlhbg Well done @BBCCarrie for taking such an important stand. Took great courage. The Labour peer Lord Foulkes, who demanded that Gracie reveal how much she was paid during a live interview about MPs’ pay in 2009, said he agreed with her campaign for parity.
Devastating letter from @BBCCarrie who’s done a brilliant job as China Editor. BBC don’t deserve talent like her if they can’t get their act together on #equalpay She’s also done a great job on @BBCr4today Perhaps she could replace Humphries. https://t.co/NNXIIloHx3 A BBC spokesman said: “Fairness in pay is vital. A significant number of organisations have now published their gender pay figures, showing that we are performing considerably better than many and are well below the national average.
Labour’s Jess Phillips tweeted: “Here’s my suggestion. I’ll pay 50% less of my licence fee. I love and would die in ditch for the BBC but this isn’t the gender pay gap even, this is equal pay issue and it’s illegal to pay her less than men doing equivalent work. SORT IT OUT.” “Alongside that, we have already conducted an independent judge-led audit of pay for rank-and-file staff which showed no systemic discrimination against women.
The Tory MP Nadine Dorries wrote on Twitter: “What a brave lady she is. Absolutely no way any woman under any circumstances should be paid less than any man for doing the same job.”
Labour peer Lord Foulkes, who demanded that Gracie reveal how much she was paid during a live interview about MP’s pay in 2009, said he agreed with her campaign for pay parity.
But I agree with Carrie Gracie on pay parity! https://t.co/ICtt3Tu32q
Michelle Stanistreet, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, said it was “determined to hold the BBC to account”.
She said: “It’s no surprise that NUJ member Carrie Gracie is not prepared to stay silent about the injustice wrought upon her by her own employer.
“Her letter to licence fee payers makes it clear what a difficult decision it has been to speak out about what she calls a crisis of trust at the BBC, but why it is vital that the British public are clear about why she has been forced to resign her post as China Editor and return early to London,” Stanistreet said in a statement.
The journalist, who has been with the BBC for 30 years and described leading its China coverage since 2013 as “the greatest privilege of my career”, stated her concerns in a letter addressed to the “BBC audience”.
She accused the corporation of a “secretive and illegal pay culture” after it was revealed two-thirds of its stars earning more than £150,000 were male.
A BBC spokesman said: “Fairness in pay is vital. A significant number of organisations have now published their gender pay figures showing that we are performing considerably better than many and are well below the national average.
“Alongside that, we have already conducted an independent judge-led audit of pay for rank and file staff which showed ‘no systemic discrimination against women’.
“A separate report for on-air staff will be published in the not too distant future.”“A separate report for on-air staff will be published in the not too distant future.”