Should it be illegal for employers to stop staff from discussing their salaries with each other?

Pay transparency is becoming a global trend, with proponents arguing that "secrecy clauses" in contracts prevent workers from knowing if they are being underpaid compared to colleagues doing the same job. This is often framed as a key step in closing the gender pay gap. Opponents argue that salaries are sensitive personal data and that publishing them or encouraging discussion creates friction, forcing managers to flatten pay structures regardless of individual performance.