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Catelene Passchier, confederal secretary European Trade Union Confederation

Reconciliation policies: precondition for quality jobs and equal pay

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Challenges for the next decades(1)

42 Percent of German women believes that having children will mean the end of their career …………..

Financial Times Deutschland, Monday 25 June 2007

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Challenges for the next decades (2)

In the autumn of 2007 in Bulgaria, 85 % of teachers were on strike. Most of them women. They demanded a substantial wage increase. Their current wage is 150 Euro per month (compared to around 400 for a skilled blue collar worker). Wages in Bulgaria are the lowest in EU 27. Fertility rates as well ……….

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Scenario 1: compromise strategies(fitting women into a male world)

• The ‘standard worker’ is a full time (male) worker; the organization of work is based on full time availability (plus overtime and/or irregular hours…..)

• Careers are linear; career breaks lead to ‘wage penalties’ • Children are a private matter, for which women/families

can receive ‘support’ • Household chores are done by ‘invisible hands’;

care (female work) does not have a ‘value’ • Individual solutions to cope (with ‘income-penalties’):

part time, flexi-time, (unpaid) leave, childcare

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Scenario 1: results

Perpetuation of – traditional division of labour of men and

women at home – segregation in the workplace– precarious jobs for women

Short term advantages: – low visible costs or investments needed

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Scenario 1: results (continued)

Long term negative effects: – low fertility, – stagnating labour market participation – under-utilisation of female human capital, – persistent gender gaps in terms of pay and pension

rights etc. (majority of working poor are women, because of low wages and/or low working hours)

Burden of adjustment on women !

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Scenario 2: structural changes (for men and women)

• The ‘standard worker’ is a worker (m/f) who cares (in various degrees throughout life course)

• Careers are flexible, with alternating periods of high work intensity and lower work intensity;

• Work organizations are responsive to change and diversity

• It is a public interest to invest in an environment that supports and facilitates the (private) choice to have children, and combine paid work with care

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Scenario 2: results

Gradual change towards – more equal division of labour between men and women

at home – diminishing gender segregation in the workplace – ‘flexibility’ for worker in mainstream job– care (both paid and unpaid) is higher valued

Short term costs: – (public and private) investment in childcare, dependent

care, social security, leave, etc.

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Scenario 2: results (continued)

Long term benefits: – higher fertility – higher (and more adaptable!) labour market

participation (and economic performance …?!)– full utilisation of male and female human capital – higher wages/ more income security for women, more

gender equality

Burden of adjustment more evenly spread over women and men, workplaces and societies

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Some evidence

• a positive correlation between female employment and fertility (with different outcomes for NMS related to low wage levels)

• a negative correlation between female unemployment and fertility

• a wage gap between full time and part time working women

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1 May poster 1907: the three eight-s (8 hours work, 8 hours sleep, 8 hours free) by Albert Hahn (source: IISG, NL)

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8 hours work (NL in 1907: male physical work in agriculture)

Albert Hahn, source: IISG NL

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8 hours sleep (Albert Hahn, source: IISG NL)

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8 hours free (for men…..)(and who cares?)

(Albert Hahn, source: IISG NL)

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21-st century: we need new images

….. and policy coherence! • in flexicurity debate • when revising the Working Time Directive• when tackling demographic change

Longer working lives and more adaptability? then shorter working days and more flexibility for workers!

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8 March 1908:

• Mass meeting in New York, organized by women from the clothing and textile trades, for – higher wages– an eight hour working day – women’s suffrage

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8 march 2008………

• Tackle the pay gap • Tackle the time gap • Tackle the representation gap

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European Social PartnersFramework of actions on Gender equality (2005)

4 priority areas for action: - Addressing gender stereotypes /segregation - Promoting women in decision-making - Supporting work life balance - Tackling the gender pay gap

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Tackle the pay gap

– Raise low (women’s) wages – Demand equal pay men/women– Mainstream in general wage policies

ETUC 2008: campaign ‘Europe’s workers need a pay rise’, with emphasis on equal pay

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Tackle the time gap

• Measures to improve reconciliation (men/women): – Leave arrangements – Care infra structure

• Rights to flexibility for workers – schedules working time – volume of work (reversible part time)

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Reconciliation of work, private and family life

Joint evaluation European Social Partners of Parental Leave Directive:

• evaluation of parental leave arrangements • in connection with other arrangements supporting parents

and work life balance ( flexible work arrangements, childcare, other forms of leave)

• to assess if joint actions need to be taken….Report to Social Summit March 2008 • Yes, joint action will be taken on: leave, care, time • But details to be further decided (before summer)• Negotiations can start after the summer

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Tackle the representation gap

ETUC Congress 2007Charter on Gender mainstreaming • Elimination of gender representation gap:

– good and comparable data – increase of women in decision making

• Stronger role equality bodies • Enhancing role and visibility of women in all

ETUC structures

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First annual 8 March Survey 2008

• Women are driving up trade union membership across majority ETUC affiliates

• Women are still inadequately represented in leadership positions: the glass ceiling is still strongly in place (slow or no progress!)

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Thank you !

www.etuc.org