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BBC's Carrie Gracie 'could not collude' in pay discrimination | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Carrie Gracie has said she resigned as the BBC's China editor because she could not "collude" in a policy of "unlawful pay discrimination". | |
She quit, citing pay inequality with male international editors earning more than her £135,000-a-year salary. | |
She said she had refused a £45,000 rise as it still left a "big gap" between her and her male counterparts when all she wanted was to be "made equal". | |
The BBC has said there is "no systemic discrimination against women". | The BBC has said there is "no systemic discrimination against women". |
BBC broadcasters including Mishal Husain, Lyse Doucet, Clare Balding, Emily Maitlis and Sarah Montague voiced their support for Ms Gracie; while Channel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman, and Labour MPs Harriet Harman and Jess Phillips and Conservative MP Nadine Dorries have also reacted positively to the move. | BBC broadcasters including Mishal Husain, Lyse Doucet, Clare Balding, Emily Maitlis and Sarah Montague voiced their support for Ms Gracie; while Channel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman, and Labour MPs Harriet Harman and Jess Phillips and Conservative MP Nadine Dorries have also reacted positively to the move. |
The BBC's Europe editor Katya Adler, tweeted: "Huge loss to BBC international news. I will miss @bbccarrie by my side as only other female editor in foreign news." | |
Many expressed their support using the hashtag #IStandWithCarrie. | Many expressed their support using the hashtag #IStandWithCarrie. |
Meanwhile, a tweet by #BBCWomen, a group of more than 130 broadcasters and producers at the corporation, is being widely shared. | |
Neither Ms Gracie, nor Ms Adler appeared on a list issued by the BBC last July, listing the salaries of all employees earning more than £150,000 a year. | |
The US editor, Jon Sopel, earned £200,000-£249,999, while Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen earned £150,000-£199,999 - in Ms Gracie's words, "at least 50% more" than herself and Ms Adler. | |
Ms Gracie told Woman's Hour on Radio 4 the BBC had offered to raise her annual salary to £180,000, but she did not see that as a solution and there would still have been "a big gap between myself and my male peers". | |
Asked whether those male workers should receive a pay cut, Ms Gracie said: "I believe in public service broadcasting and I do think salaries at the top are unacceptably high... but I don't have the information to say this needs to happen or that should happen." | |
She added: "I could not go back to China and collude knowingly in what I consider to be unlawful pay discrimination. I could not do it, nor could I stay silent and watch the BBC perpetuate a failing pay structure by discriminating against women." | |
Earlier, co-presenting the Today programme with John Humphrys, Ms Gracie said: "The support I have had in the last few hours over this, I think it does speak to the depth of hunger for an equal, fair and transparent pay system." | |
How Chinese media see the row | |
Influential media in China have given prominent attention to Carrie Gracie's resignation as China editor, but have made no comment on her work. | |
Global Times and China Daily highlighted her statement that women at the BBC are generally paid significantly less than men, and broadcaster CCTV shares a picture of Ms Gracie from her Twitter page holding an #equalpayday sign. | |
Some social media users on the popular Sina Weibo praise her for speaking out and say they "support" her. | |
"We need to be treated equally!" says one user, receiving hundreds of likes. | |
Some say that men and women are paid the same in China, and one blames "capitalism" on her pay. | |
Other users give damning comments on articles she has written that they perceive to be anti-China. | |
Source: BBC Monitoring | |
In an open letter issued on Sunday, Ms Gracie - who has been at the BBC for more than 30 years - accused the corporation of having a "secretive and illegal pay culture". | In an open letter issued on Sunday, Ms Gracie - who has been at the BBC for more than 30 years - accused the corporation of having a "secretive and illegal pay culture". |
She said she would return to her former post in the TV newsroom in London "where I expect to be paid equally". | |
In the letter, posted on her blog, Ms Gracie - a China specialist who is fluent in Mandarin - said licence fee payers had "a right to know" the organisation was "breaking equality law and resisting pressure for a fair and transparent pay structure". | |
"Despite the BBC's public insistence that my appointment demonstrated its commitment to gender equality, and despite my own insistence that equality was a condition of taking up the post, my managers had yet again judged that women's work was worth much less than men's." | "Despite the BBC's public insistence that my appointment demonstrated its commitment to gender equality, and despite my own insistence that equality was a condition of taking up the post, my managers had yet again judged that women's work was worth much less than men's." |
She said "patience and goodwill" among female staff was running out. | She said "patience and goodwill" among female staff was running out. |
In a statement, a BBC spokeswoman said "fairness in pay" was "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. | "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 a independent judge-led audit of pay for rank and file staff which showed 'no systemic discrimination against women'. | "Alongside that, we have already conducted a 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." |
Arriving at the Golden Globes ceremony in Los Angeles, actress Emma Watson said the BBC's commitment to equal pay was "great... but we need to see them fulfil it". | Arriving at the Golden Globes ceremony in Los Angeles, actress Emma Watson said the BBC's commitment to equal pay was "great... but we need to see them fulfil it". |
"What has happened with the resignation is a really good example. You have got to follow through. You have to back up what you are saying." | "What has happened with the resignation is a really good example. You have got to follow through. You have to back up what you are saying." |