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| BBC's Carrie Gracie 'could not collude' in pay discrimination | BBC's Carrie Gracie 'could not collude' in pay discrimination |
| (about 1 hour 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". | 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 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". | 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 said "fairness in pay" was "vital" to the corporation. | |
| 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." | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
| In 2009, Ms Gracie openly revealed she was paid £92,000 a year during a heated interview with Labour peer Lord Foulkes on MPs' expenses. | In 2009, Ms Gracie openly revealed she was paid £92,000 a year during a heated interview with Labour peer Lord Foulkes on MPs' expenses. |
| 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". | 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." | 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." | 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." | 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 | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | "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. | 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. | Other users give damning comments on articles she has written that they perceive to be anti-China. |
| Source: BBC Monitoring | 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". | 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". | 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. |
| Former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, who forced the corporation to disclose salaries above £150,000, criticised the director general Tony Hall for not resolving the "substantial difference" in men and women's pay "at the top level". | Former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, who forced the corporation to disclose salaries above £150,000, criticised the director general Tony Hall for not resolving the "substantial difference" in men and women's pay "at the top level". |
| He added: "It's now quite a long time since those figures came out. And nothing, as far as we're aware, has really happened since." | He added: "It's now quite a long time since those figures came out. And nothing, as far as we're aware, has really happened since." |
| In a statement, a BBC spokeswoman said "fairness in pay" was "vital" and the corporation would improve transparency on how pay is set. | In a statement, a BBC spokeswoman said "fairness in pay" was "vital" and the corporation would improve transparency on how pay is set. |
| The BBC has said it hopes to close the gender pay gap by 2020, but this is different to the issue of equal pay. | |
| The gender pay gap is a measure of the difference between men's and women's average earnings in an organisation. | |
| Equal pay, as defined in the Equality Act 2010, means that men and women doing the same job should receive the same salary. | |
| There have been three investigations into gender pay: | There have been three investigations into gender pay: |
| 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." |