Press Statement from Frances Fitzgerald MEP
Thursday 4th March 2021
Launch of EU pay transparency Directive a pivotal moment in closing the gender pay gap – Fitzgerald
Lets confine the gender pay gap to history
Frances Fitzgerald, MEP for Dublin and full member of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee, today (Thursday) welcomed the European Commission’s launch of a proposal for a Directive on pay transparency.
“I warmly welcome today’s proposal which has the potential to transform the ‘gender pay gap’ across Europe once implemented.”
Speaking in Dublin, MEP Fitzgerald commented, “The European Commission’s proposal on pay transparency sets a very good framework to tackle the gender pay gap, that currently stands at 14.1% in Europe, by ensuring that no employer has the right to ask for a pay history when someone applies for a job, and that a pay level or range should be available to a job applicant.”
“In addition, employers should make information on the pay gap between male and female workers available to all, and should a company have at least 250 employees, this data should be publicly available. Crucially, should a difference of 5% or more be found between pay for male and female employees doing the same work or work of equal value, the employer would be obligated to carry out a joint pay assessment to take action to rectify the problem and to report on that action’s effectiveness. The role of the social partners in making this Directive a reality is of course imperative.”
“Action on the gender pay gap has long been a political priority for Fine Gael, and we sought to make that happen by introducing the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019. While that lapsed with the last Oireachtas, a pledge to bring forward national action on pay transparency is included in the Programme for Government and I therefore urge the Government to do so promptly, so that Ireland can lead the EU in this field. The imperative lies with the government.”
“Across Europe we have seen the essential nature of the work women do. 76% of healthcare workers are women, 93% of childcare workers are women, 95% of domestic cleaners are women, 86% of personal care workers are women, and 82% of cashiers are women. These women have carried us through this crisis: the least we can do is to pay them, and all women, what they are owed.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Proposal for binding pay transparency measures: Proposal for binding pay transparency measures | European Commission (europa.eu)
Press Release from the European Commission: Commission proposes measures to ensure equal pay (europa.eu)
Contact:
Una Clarke: Una.clarke@europarl.europa.eu