Commenting on the European Commission’s Action Plan to tackle the gender pay gap, published today, Montserrat Mir, Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said “We have been waiting far too long for renewed legislative action against the gender pay gap across the EU. The ETUC welcomes any promise to look at possible changes to the Gender Equality Directive, but looking has to be followed by doing. We need legally-binding obligations on pay transparency and sanctions against those that fail to deliver.”
Jan Goudriaan, General Secretary of EPSU, the European public services union, “It is not acceptable that in several countries pay gaps are increasing. With the cuts in budgets for public services and with pay freezes, women employed in public services such as health, child, social and other care were targeted. We must stop austerity and promote decent pay rises and better working conditions for public service workers. We ask for increased funding for quality public services including in childcare and improved leave arrangements for men and women. We seek a forceful commitment from our employers and Member States to end the gender pay gap.”
