Royal Mail reveals it pays female posties more than men
Royal Mail pays female workers more than their male counterparts, according to figures lodged with the government.
Gender pay gap data revealed mean hourly pay is 2.1 per cent higher for women.
In addition, female bonus payments were 9.1 per cent greater than those handed to men.
Women occupy a greater number of the Royal Mail's senior roles. But on a median basis their remuneration is 1.5 per cent lower than men.
"The difference in median pay rates is due to males being more likely to select work that qualifies for allowances, such as shift work during the evening or at night," Royal Mail said.
The postal giant's figures contrast with UK sector-wide averages where men are on average paid 17 per cent more than women, according to the Office for National Statistics.
| Postie pay quartiles | Women | Men |
| Top quartile | 16 per cent | 84 per cent |
| Upper middle quartile | 15 per cent | 85 per cent |
| Lower middle quartile | 17 per cent | 83 per cent |
| Lower quartile | 18 per cent | 82 per cent |
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Top of the group
Royal Mail split its 142,000 workforce into pay quartiles. While within the upper quartile only 16 per cent of staff were women, the firm said females are much better represented at the top of the group.
Women make up 30 per cent of senior managers and Royal Mail's board – led by chief executive Moya Greene – is split 50/50 between men and women.
"This compares well to the FTSE 100 average of 27 per cent," the firm said.
Only a tiny proportion of Royal Mail employees miss out on a bonus. Some 99 per cent of men and 97 per cent of women receive handouts over and above their standard pay.
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