Introduction to Gender Pay Gap in Europe
The right to equal pay for work of equal value has been in place for years. One of the earliest countries in Europe to implement equal pay laws for women was Iceland in 1961, with other countries following suit. Despite this, women throughout Europe still earn much less than men: in 2022, the gender pay gap was 12.7% in the EU, which means women were earning €87.30 for every €100 earned by men.
Challenges in Upholding Equal Pay Laws
If women want to enforce the rights stated in equal pay laws, they have to take their employers to court. Lawsuits against an employer are not easy to win as they can keep wages secret. Additionally, there is the risk of retaliation by employers against employees. Adopting labour laws that make equal pay legally binding is not sufficient enough to actually achieve equal pay.
Between 1996 and 2007, for example, there were only 31 equal pay lawsuits in Germany, 16 in France, and one in Poland, indicating how difficult it can be for employees to ensure equal pay laws are upheld by employers. Having a right and getting it implemented are two very different things.
Women often remain unaware of pay discrimination in their work, due to companies being able to keep salaries a secret. This lack of transparency poses a significant challenge in addressing the gender pay gap.
Despite existing laws, there are limitations in enforcement mechanisms, as seen in the case of Switzerland where enforcement for equal pay for different groups of workers varied significantly.
Additionally, the process of enforcing equal pay laws heavily relies on individual lawsuits, making it challenging for widespread implementation.