Forties People

The TUC has hailed news that women aged 50-plus are earning more in their jobs than they did four years ago.

A report by the National Equalities Panel found that females in their 50s and on middle incomes have seen an improvement in their full-time weekly salaries.

According to Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, this is a highly "encouraging" development.

However, he said the government needs to continue doing more to make certain that true equality in the workplace is achieved.

"Legislation like the Equality Bill is crucial if we are to ensure that more is done for the many women who are still on low pay," he commented.

Mr Barber added that greater equality in the workplace would more accurately reflect the skills of female employees and the important work they carry out.

This comes after a poll by the Fawcett Society found that most of the public are in favour of mandatory pay audits in order to stop firms paying women lower salaries than men.