Comments on: Not so equal pay at Cambridge University http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2009/02/not-so-equal-pay-at-cambridge.htm Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:02:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Anonymous http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2009/02/not-so-equal-pay-at-cambridge.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1696 Anonymous Thu, 14 May 2009 22:42:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=2098#comment-1696 It seems your Chief Executive's problem with numbers continues abated.<br /><br />http://blogs.notw.co.uk/politics/2009/05/peer-pockets-41k-expenses-on-holiday-home.html<br /><br />Tell me Lynne, why is it that when a Labour MP has been suspended, a Tory has resigned, both for second home fiddles, your party has done nothing, issued no statement about Lord Rennard, and not requested him to pay the money back?<br /><br />To paraphrase 'the fees office let me get away with it' is not a defence or a denial. <br /><br />Are you complicit or happy with your most senior member of staff taking over £41,000 from the taxpaper to which they are not entitled? If not, what are you doing about it. It seems your Chief Executive’s problem with numbers continues abated.

http://blogs.notw.co.uk/politics/2009/05/peer-pockets-41k-expenses-on-holiday-home.html

Tell me Lynne, why is it that when a Labour MP has been suspended, a Tory has resigned, both for second home fiddles, your party has done nothing, issued no statement about Lord Rennard, and not requested him to pay the money back?

To paraphrase ‘the fees office let me get away with it’ is not a defence or a denial.

Are you complicit or happy with your most senior member of staff taking over £41,000 from the taxpaper to which they are not entitled? If not, what are you doing about it.

]]> By: Lynne Featherstone MP http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2009/02/not-so-equal-pay-at-cambridge.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1695 Lynne Featherstone MP Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:04:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=2098#comment-1695 No - that's not my moderation policy. If someone makes a claim - then they can, as long as it isn't libelous etc - and the debate or correction can flow on in the comments. As you can see from many other threads I often disagree with what people claim in comments! No – that’s not my moderation policy. If someone makes a claim – then they can, as long as it isn’t libelous etc – and the debate or correction can flow on in the comments. As you can see from many other threads I often disagree with what people claim in comments!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2009/02/not-so-equal-pay-at-cambridge.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1694 Anonymous Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:55:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=2098#comment-1694 A strongly-worded reaction Lynne, but let's look at what you wrote - your article attacked Cambridge University for differences of pay 'within the same grade':<br/><br/>I quote: "The gap at grade 12 (the top pay grade) is over 5%, which is the threshold where, under the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s guidelines action should be taken."<br/><br/>You didn't extend to Cambridge the benefit of the doubt that many of those top grade roles may be different roles or that they might, like the Liberal Democrats have to pay very different market rates to attract or retain talent. <br/><br/>I'm sure the issue here then is how fair you were on Cambridge. <br/><br/>As for 'peddling falsehoods', you run a moderated blog. If you receive comments that are not true, you must surely reject them, rather than publish, or remove them later if published in error. <br/><br/>It would be reasonable to conclude from your decision to retain these items that they are factually correct, the anonymous ones at least, it appears your Chief Executive has some difficulty with numbers. A strongly-worded reaction Lynne, but let’s look at what you wrote – your article attacked Cambridge University for differences of pay ‘within the same grade’:

I quote: “The gap at grade 12 (the top pay grade) is over 5%, which is the threshold where, under the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s guidelines action should be taken.”

You didn’t extend to Cambridge the benefit of the doubt that many of those top grade roles may be different roles or that they might, like the Liberal Democrats have to pay very different market rates to attract or retain talent.

I’m sure the issue here then is how fair you were on Cambridge.

As for ‘peddling falsehoods’, you run a moderated blog. If you receive comments that are not true, you must surely reject them, rather than publish, or remove them later if published in error.

It would be reasonable to conclude from your decision to retain these items that they are factually correct, the anonymous ones at least, it appears your Chief Executive has some difficulty with numbers.

]]> By: Lynne Featherstone MP http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2009/02/not-so-equal-pay-at-cambridge.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1693 Lynne Featherstone MP Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:11:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=2098#comment-1693 I might have more time for such discussions if you weren't anonymous. As it is your arguments are not founded on anything. You have provided no identity, no facts and no evidence of any discrimination whatsoever. The Chief Exec has had the courtesy to come on here personally to answer the falsehoods you are trying to peddle. And lastly - it is perfectly fine to have different pay for different roles - what is wrong is when there is unequal pay for the same roles. I might have more time for such discussions if you weren’t anonymous. As it is your arguments are not founded on anything. You have provided no identity, no facts and no evidence of any discrimination whatsoever. The Chief Exec has had the courtesy to come on here personally to answer the falsehoods you are trying to peddle. And lastly – it is perfectly fine to have different pay for different roles – what is wrong is when there is unequal pay for the same roles.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2009/02/not-so-equal-pay-at-cambridge.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1692 Anonymous Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:16:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=2098#comment-1692 Interesting, although factually I make that 4 or 5 (including you) men at senior level, to 3 women (or just 1 if looking at HQ alone rather than including the Leader's office), and I'm going to guess that the pay gradient between Miss Pietsch and either yourself or your top-paid man (depending on whether these pay audits consider the CEO role a Director) is somewhat greater than the 5% threshold Lynne raised concern about in her article...<br/><br/>Still I'm sure Lena, Alison, and Hilary will be delighted to learn you will be raising their pay and benefits dramatically if such a gap exists... Perhaps Lynne could do her own independent Equal Pay Report for the Federal Executive?<br/><br/>Also, given the better gender balance in the Leader's Office it would surely be prudent for you to put Nick's staff on the website alongside your own. At the moment I count 16 men to 6 women in the Chris Rennard Boys Club; a better ratio than the Parliamentary Party, but not entirely following your Leader's fine example. Interesting, although factually I make that 4 or 5 (including you) men at senior level, to 3 women (or just 1 if looking at HQ alone rather than including the Leader’s office), and I’m going to guess that the pay gradient between Miss Pietsch and either yourself or your top-paid man (depending on whether these pay audits consider the CEO role a Director) is somewhat greater than the 5% threshold Lynne raised concern about in her article…

Still I’m sure Lena, Alison, and Hilary will be delighted to learn you will be raising their pay and benefits dramatically if such a gap exists… Perhaps Lynne could do her own independent Equal Pay Report for the Federal Executive?

Also, given the better gender balance in the Leader’s Office it would surely be prudent for you to put Nick’s staff on the website alongside your own. At the moment I count 16 men to 6 women in the Chris Rennard Boys Club; a better ratio than the Parliamentary Party, but not entirely following your Leader’s fine example.

]]> By: Chris Rennard http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2009/02/not-so-equal-pay-at-cambridge.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1691 Chris Rennard Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:31:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=2098#comment-1691 The other posts paid at Director level within the organisation are Director of Media/Leader's Press Secretary (Lena Pietsch) and Elections Planning Manager/Deputy Chief of Staff (Alison Suttie). The other posts paid at Director level within the organisation are Director of Media/Leader’s Press Secretary (Lena Pietsch) and Elections Planning Manager/Deputy Chief of Staff (Alison Suttie).

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2009/02/not-so-equal-pay-at-cambridge.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1690 Anonymous Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:08:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=2098#comment-1690 Are you sure Chris...?<br/><br/>This is your own website link:<br/>http://www.libdems.org.uk/party/party-staff<br/><br/>Chris Rennard - CEO - man<br/>Ben Stoneham - Director - man<br/>Nigel Bliss - Director - man<br/>David Loxton - Director - man<br/>+Chris Fox (not yet in link) - Director - man<br/>http://www.libdemvoice.org/chris-fox-appointed-new-lib-dem-director-of-policy-communications-6924.html<br/>Hilary Stephenson - Director - woman<br/><br/>Who are the other two Directors who are female? Or is there something rather suprising and wonderful you're revealing to us about two of the 'men'? Are you sure Chris…?

This is your own website link:
http://www.libdems.org.uk/party/party-staff

Chris Rennard – CEO – man
Ben Stoneham – Director – man
Nigel Bliss – Director – man
David Loxton – Director – man
+Chris Fox (not yet in link) – Director – man
http://www.libdemvoice.org/chris-fox-appointed-new-lib-dem-director-of-policy-communications-6924.html
Hilary Stephenson – Director – woman

Who are the other two Directors who are female? Or is there something rather suprising and wonderful you’re revealing to us about two of the ‘men’?

]]> By: Chris Rennard http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2009/02/not-so-equal-pay-at-cambridge.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1689 Chris Rennard Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:56:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=2098#comment-1689 Anonymous is not correct.<br/><br/>There are currently six members of staff paid at Director level in the party and three are men - three are women. The suggestion of a pay gap is completely wrong and the women have no disadvantage in pay terms.<br/><br/>Chris Rennard<br/>Chief Executive, Liberal Democrats Anonymous is not correct.

There are currently six members of staff paid at Director level in the party and three are men – three are women. The suggestion of a pay gap is completely wrong and the women have no disadvantage in pay terms.

Chris Rennard
Chief Executive, Liberal Democrats

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2009/02/not-so-equal-pay-at-cambridge.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1688 Anonymous Wed, 25 Feb 2009 06:57:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=2098#comment-1688 I believe at Liberal Democrat HQ there are 6 Directors, only 1 of whom is a woman, the pay gap between your highest paid man and the woman is about 80%. <br/><br/>Most of the reason for that is long service. <br/><br/>Surgeon... heal thyself... I believe at Liberal Democrat HQ there are 6 Directors, only 1 of whom is a woman, the pay gap between your highest paid man and the woman is about 80%.

Most of the reason for that is long service.

Surgeon… heal thyself…

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