WOMEN have to work almost 20 per cent harder than men to earn the same amount of money, a new survey has revealed.

The figures show that for every hour worked by a man in York, a woman has to put in 71 minutes work for the same pay.

The scale of the gender pay gap was exposed by a trade union analysis of official Government data.

The national survey, based on figures from the Office for National Statistics, showed that York men in a full-time job earned more than £520 every week - while women earned less than £400.

When the difference in the average number of hours worked by men and women is taken into account, York's "gender pay gap" is 17 per cent.

In what the GMB union calls "the systematic undervaluing of work that women do", a woman would have to work 57 hours in a week to earn the same amount as a man doing the same full-time job working a 48-hour week.

In North Yorkshire, for every hour worked by a man, a woman has to work 70 minutes for the equivalent money - a pay gap of 15.8 per cent.

Across the country, women must work on average 16.4 per cent more hours than men for the same pay.

Len Cruddas, chief executive of York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "Any inequality of pay for equal work is illegal these days, and that is a positive step forward.

"The large majority of employers do recognise the contribution women can make to the workplace.

"Whilst the gender pay gap might not yet be completely eradicated, we are certainly moving in the right direction."

Debbie Coulter, deputy general secretary of trade union GMB, said: "This new analysis proves conclusively that job segregation and the lack of equal pay for work of equal value accounts for the lion's share of the pay gap.

"Action is needed from employers to end the chronic undervaluing of the work that women do.

"We would urge employers to work with trade unions to identify the reasons for the gender segregation within their workplace, to agree strategies for eradicating gender pay imbalances and for providing equality of opportunity for half of Britain's workforce."

Local opinions

Joyce Skilbeck, 65, a retired nurse from York, said: "Women are breadwinners too at the end of the day. Without a wife earning you wouldn't have as much money."

Jo Fowler, 22, a recruitment consultant from Heworth, said: "Women provide the same quality of work. "If we're being paid less than men it's not good - it's out of date."

Emily Simpson, 18, a student from Pocklington, said: "I'm disgusted. It's totally sexist. Women have the same skills as men."

Peter Brothers, 61, a bus driver, from Holme-on-Spalding Moor, said: "Disgusting. Employers are to blame. We've had sex equality since 1975."

Updated: 10:07 Thursday, March 31, 2005