New Survey Shows Necessity to Close the Gender Pay Gap
24 May 2006
New survey results that show males earning almost €3 per hour more than female colleagues demonstrate the urgency attached to closing the gender pay gap, Congress said today (May 24).
Figures contained in the Central Statistics Office (CSO) National Employment Survey showed average hourly male earnings at €17.74, with female rates at just €14.93 per hour. Female hourly earnings were just 84% of those for males, the CSO survey showed.
"Congress has consistently highlighted the necessity to end, once and for all, the gender pay gap," said Congress Assistant General Secretary Sally Anne Kinahan.
"Congress has made the gender pay gap a priority in the current talks. We have proposed that any new agreement should see a progressive closing of the gap, over the life of any agreement.
"These figures demonstrate the urgency that attaches to finally closing that gap, both in terms of equality and, for employers, in terms of enlightened self-interest. In a tight labour market where every effort is being made to attract more women into the workforce it is obvious that decent, equal pay would be a major inducement," Ms Kinahan said.
The survey also served to reinforce the Congress position on training and upskilling of the workforce, as it showed a clear correlation between higher skills and higher pay.
"Again, this has been a priority for Congress for some time and we believe there now needs to be a strategic focus on upskilling the workforce - individual workers gain from increased wage rates and the economy gains from higher skill levels. This needs to be identified as a key national priority if we are to maintain growth," Ms Kinahan concluded.
ends