The pay gap in Aberdeen is among the worst

Women earn an average of 30% less than their male counterparts in the same job, according to a study.

The research by the Aberdeen Women's Alliance shows the city has been very slow to raise women's wages up to the same level of those received by men.

The gap is 10% higher than the UK average. The issue will be discussed at a conference in Aberdeen on Saturday.

Delegates will stress that women are still being short-changed, despite the 1975 Equal Pay Act.

The gathering will also look at pensions, poverty and employment difficulties, such as how to attract women into the construction industry.

Battle of the sexes

The Aberdeen Women's Alliance was formed in January by Aberdeen City Council in an effort to bring equal pay to the workforce.

Another report published earlier this year by PayFinder.com said that the widest differences in pay between genders was found in the south-east and Scotland.

The gap was 30% in the south-east, 29% in Scotland and 26% in eastern and north-east England.

The website said it was "incredible" that the gender pay gap still existed in modern times.

In 2002, the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) New Earnings Survey found that female part-time workers took home 59p for every �1 earned by full time workers.