University and College Union (UCU) protesters at the University of Hertfordshire have voiced their issues and concerns on the gender and ethnicity pay gap they are experiencing.
UCU stated that people doing the same job or work of equal value should get the same or equal pay; but in many cases they don't, even though the law says they should.
Senior visiting lecturer, Lindsay German who has worked with the Hatfield -based university -for 11 years, said: “The gender pay gap means that women in general are stuck in the bottom levels if you look at not just University of Hertfordshire but universities nationally.
“The majority of women are in level seven or eight which is lecturer or senior lecturer, so they are pushed down and therefore you are much more likely to get promoted if you are a man, so your wages overall are lower.
“Because women have maternity leave, they have breaks in their career and that also has an effect on their promotion.”
University of Hertfordshire said they were "pleased that latest reports show the gender and ethnicity pay gap at the University has continued to reduce".
Speaking about the protest potentially disrupting the student's education, Lindsay added: “It’s a great shame that they are being disrupted but it isn’t our fault. 
“Our working conditions have gotten worse, students' conditions have got worse, they are paying a lot of money now for an education where they don’t get staff who have the time to deal with students properly.
“Classes are getting more overcrowded, modules are getting bigger so for all these reasons, students are being disrupted but we feel it is very important to take a stand on this and it’s not just us, it’s 150 universities across the country.”
A female BAME (black, Asian, and minority ethnic) senior lecturer at UH, who did not wish to be named, said: “I believe there are obviously signs. Some of us are not paid what we should be paid. This is my experience.
“We go for roles that we do not get, and I have made my views known to the management. I believe some get fairer treatments than others and that is because of ethnicity and being a woman.
“We do have a lot of women working here as lecturers and admin staff, but something needs to give.”
A spokesperson from the University of Hertfordshire said: “We have ambitious targets to attain gender and ethnicity equality and are pleased latest reports show the gender and ethnicity pay gap at the University has continued to reduce, with the gender pay gap remaining in line with the higher education sector.
“We are working hard across the University to implement positive measures that will support ongoing improvements, including a robust academics promotions structure, the use of diverse shortlisting and interview panels in recruitment campaigns, racial injustice training being made available to all staff and a BAME mentoring scheme.
“Our commitment is also reflected in the University being one of only 19 institutions in the UK to hold a Bronze Award for the Race Equality Charter. We recognise there is still progress to be made and are confident that the initiatives we have in place will continue to make positive change."
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