July 2017

[El Gordo]

The BBC Gender Pay Gap row highlights that this is not about performance, it's about misogyny. 
It's about Man's inequitable right to place himself above all others.

I agree with almost everything said apart from the above, and particularly "misogyny". I don't want to feel the rough side of your tongue (as it were) but the issue is not a hatred of women.  Most HR departments I've cowered beneath are run largely by women, and I don't believe they are likely to be misogynistic. Their job is to manage the salary bill, and will negotiate salaries in the interests of the company. What seems to happen is that women tend to be less aggressive and less confident in these situations. As indeed are many men, including me. I'm terrible at negotiating, which is why I'm paid less than most in my work area (including several women). If a person agrees to accept a lower salary, it's unlikely that an employer will insist they are paid more.

Gary Lineker, in his slightly embarrassed tweet, had it right when he said "I blame my agent". I thought it was no coincidence that another footballer, Alan Shearer appeared high in the list, despite doing almost nothing for the BBC apart from droning away on MOTD for a few minutes on most Saturdays during the football season. Agents, especially footballers' and high profile celebs' agents are shamelessly aggressive, and they get the top deals. I'm pretty sure that the best-paid BBC people will be the ones with managers and agents.