Equal Pay Day 2022: 15th of November Press Release

From today, 15^th of November, women in the EU will statistically work for free until the end of this year. Women still earn statistically less: gender pay in the EU stands at 13% with significant differences between Member States. In Luxembourg the gap is 0.7% whereas in Latvia the difference is 22.3%. These differences hit the hardest when our societies are suffering from the energy crisis and soaring inflation, with many single women and particularly single mothers facing daunting challenges to pay their bills.

Speaking in advance of this occasion, Oliver Röpke, President of the EESC Workers' Group, said:

"Gender equality is a foundational value of the European Union. The principle that men and women should receive equal pay for equal work has been enshrined in the European Treaties since 1957. Despite these aspirations, differences in pay remain deeply entrenched. At the current rate of progress it will take more than 80 years to close the gender pay gap. The EU must adopt the Pay Transparency Directive without delay and ensure that the Minimum Wage Directive is implemented as quickly as possible by Member States since collective bargaining reduces inequalities."

As part of European Gender Equality Week, the EESC adopted the opinion of Workers' Group member Ozlem Yildirim on improving equality in the EU. Amongst many other points, the opinion noted that:

"Achieving gender equality in the workplace remains one of the major challenges facing the EU. Many women face discrimination in the workplace, affecting their pay and career prospects. The EU must also broaden the definition of discrimination by incorporating a general principle of equality into its legal frameworks. Women often experience overlapping dimensions of inequality, meaning that certain groups are more vulnerable to discrimination. This change would better account for the often intersectional nature of discrimination and better protect women in the workplace."