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08:11 GMT, Friday, 2 May 2008 09:11 UK

Workers 'happy to reveal salary'

Notes

The majority of people would be happy to tell colleagues how much they earn, according to a report.

About two thirds of workers said they would welcome more openness - believing it would help tackle the gender pay gap, said recruitment firm Hudson.

A similar proportion felt senior bosses should disclose their own salaries.

Londoners were least prepared to discuss pay with others, the survey said, while those in the West Midlands were most relaxed about it.

"A policy of salary disclosure at all levels is not likely to be appropriate at many organisations," said Hudson's chief executive Andy Rogerson.

"But the underlying principle, of ensuring fairness and transparency in the process of setting and reviewing salaries is a good one."

"Why should you mind others knowing what you earn, unless you have something to hide or you're ashamed of it for some reason. "
Peter, Bristol
Read what others think

According to the union Unite, some organisations had made it a disciplinary offence to discuss pay.

This was "totally unacceptable", it said.

The TUC said that the vast majority of employers refused to disclose pay scales.

Mandatory pay audits were the only way to stamp out gender pay gaps, said its general secretary Brendan Barber.

Earlier this week, there was outrage in Italy after the outgoing government published every Italian's declared earnings and tax contributions on the internet.

The tax authority's website was inundated by people curious to know how much their neighbours, celebrities or sports stars were making.

The Italian treasury suspended the website after a formal complaint from the country's privacy watchdog.

The information was put on the site with no warning for nearly 24 hours.



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Related to this story:
Italy posts income details on web (01 May 08 |  Europe )
Bus boosts minimum wage campaign (10 Jan 08 |  Business )
'Rogue' firms face wage crackdown (06 Dec 07 |  Business )
Minimum wage rates are increased (30 Sep 07 |  Business )
Warning over minimum wage level (06 Mar 07 |  Business )

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