European Commission action plan to tackle gender pay gap


The European Commission has launched an action plan to tackle the gender pay gap, which includes the possibility of new legislation to compel employers to provide more information on women’s and men’s pay. 


Across the EU, women still earn on average 16% less per hour than men, despite the fact that all EU members have legislation on equal pay. The Commission’s eight-point action plan launched last month covers:


• improving the application of the equal pay principle;


• combating segregation in occupations and sectors;


• breaking the glass ceiling: initiatives to combat vertical segregation


• tackling the care penalty;


• giving higher status to women’s skills, efforts and responsibilities;


• uncovering inequalities and stereotypes;


• alerting and informing about the gender pay gap; and


• enhancing partnerships to tackle the gender pay gap.


As well as information campaigns and the exchange of good practice, the plan also includes a commitment to consider legislation to give employees the right to request information on pay levels and make employers publish pay breakdowns. 


Minimum sanctions for breaches of equal pay legislation and minimum levels of compensation for those who have lost out will also be considered.


Montserrat Mir, responsible for equality issues at the European Trade Union Confederation, welcomed the plan to look at new legislation. “But looking has to be followed by doing,” she said.

http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/just/item-detail.cfm?item_id=607452

http://www.epsu.org/article/monday-20th-november-european-commission-presented-action-plan-tackle-gender-pay-gap-all