The commitment of EPSU to Women’s and Gender Equality Work

23 March 2012 ETUC Women’s CommitteeNadja Salson and Christine Jakob

EPSU, industry federation of ETUC, representing 8 million workers in the public sector: health and social services, public administration,

local and regional government, water, waste and energy

68,5 % are women and frontline users of public services

I. EPSU Policies- generalII. EPSU Gender-MainstreamingIII. EPSU Policy priorities and challenges in women’s and gender equality work- Austerity and the impact on gender equality- Monitoring the Gender Pay Gap- Gdf-Suez European Agreement IV. The way ahead- conclusions

EPSU policies- general

Recent topics on agenda (last meeting 8/9 November): Austerity policies- Economic Governance and Annual Growth Survey-

First Coordinated European Action Day 30 November EU policy on public services Financial Transaction Tax/EPSU campaign on tax fraud Water Campaign based on European Citizens Initiative (

http://www.right2water.eu) Gdf-Suez European Agreement on Gender Equality Working time directive ETUC Congress PSI Congress, Durban, South Africa, 27 – 30 November 2012,

Constitutional review, future Programme of Action

I. EPSU Policies- generalII. EPSU Gender-mainstreamingIII. EPSU Policy priorities and challenges in women’s and gender equality work- Austerity and the impact on gender equality- Monitoring the Gender Pay Gap- Gdf-Suez European Agreement IV. The way ahead- conclusions

EPSU Gender-mainstreaming (1)

• changes to constitution, 10 years ago, increased women’s participation in executive committee (highest body after Congress) from 20/30% to 40% and helped ascertain a better visibility of gender equality in general.

• additional reserved seats for women in the Executive committee (1 per region), 1 of the 2 vice-pdts (elected non paid function) must be a woman.

• Objective to reach gender parity in our affiliates’ own decision-making bodies and our own structures including Congress delegations

• Creation of a gender equality committee (men+women!) drawn from and accountable to the executive committee

EPSU Gender-mainstreaming (2)

• But no sanctions as such other than withdrawing financial support for Congress

• Gender equality as part of our policy priorities e.g. gender pay gap, working time, part-time issues, care services

• Congress reinforced the principle of gender equality, introduced proportional representation in our 4 sectors, where strong gaps remain (2011:GEC 68,75 %/31,25%, NEA 27,5%/72,5%, LRG 30%/70%, HSS 64%/36%,PUT 19,4%/80,5%)

• detailed survey on women’s representativity in our affiliates’ decision making bodies and EPSU structures.

• two sectoral “agreements” with the employers in national administration on reducing the gender pay gap and in local and regional government gender equality guidelines

I. EPSU Policies- generalII. EPSU Gender-mainstreamingIII. EPSU Policy priorities and challenges in women’s and gender equality work- Austerity and the impact on gender equality- Monitoring the Gender Pay Gap- Gdf-Suez European Agreement IV. The way ahead- conclusions

Austerity and the impact on pay, jobs and gender in IRL, LV, SP and RO (1)

• Two countries have seen a direct impact

• Spain: abolition of the Ministry for Equality in October 2010

• Ireland: funding for the Equality for Women Measure sharply cut in 2009 and responsibility for gender equality moved to Department of Justice in April 2011

• Cuts are part of wider picture• Cut in minimum wage (Ireland)• Cuts in child benefit payments

(Ireland)• Increase in retirement age (Romania)• Easing of conditions for fair dismissal

in area of absenteeism (Spain) • in Spain unions have been able to

get improvements for women• Time taken looking after children and

other dependents now taken into account in pensions contributions – up to set limits

Austerity and the impact on pay, jobs and gender in IRL, LV, SP and RO (2)

• Lack of statistics as to impact on women –

– Pay and employment statistics are sometimes not broken down by gender

• Have we unions been able to draw attention to impact on women when so much happening?

• What has been the role of new or existing structures?

– For example, Equality Commission in public administration in Spain (created February 2011)

Monitoring the Gender Pay Gap in Public Sector and Services

• 2009 Congress Resolution on Equal PayCampaigning and political lobbyingNegotiating and educating EPSU structures

• Negotiating checklist on Equal Pay – to ensure that the gender pay gap is part of collective bargaining e.g. through training for negotiating teams and ensuring that women are present in collective bargaining

• Checklist for the coordination of information on pay bargaining and pay systemsKey for role gender transparent pay systems

• EPSU study on pay in health and social careRecommendations for integration of gender into collective bargaining and improved gender statistics

• Annual equal pay surveyMonitor progress on union action on equal pay

• EPSU study on pay in health and social careRecommendations for integration of gender into collective bargaining and improved gender statistics

• EPSU-ETUI Training Seminar “awareness-raising”• Sectoral Statement Central Administration

Transparency, De-gendered data collection, monitoring remuneration

I. EPSU Policies- generalII. EPSU Gender-MainstreamingIII. EPSU Policy priorities and challenges in women’s and gender equality work- Austerity and the impact on gender equality- Monitoring the Gender Pay Gap- Gdf-Suez European Agreement IV. The way ahead- conclusions

Background

• Transnational agreement: 215 EU/International texts mainly on fundamental rights, CSR. Few “real” binding agreements and fewer on gender equality- Danone, Total, Areva and Suez ( 2007)

• GDF Suez; almost 200 000 employees in 21 Europan countries – 19 % of women with large country variations but overrepresentation in admin/lower levels

• Management-led initiative, linked to merger GDF-Suez• Trade union negotiating group

– National trade union reps Belgium, Czech Rep; Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, UK

– 4 European federations; EPSU, EMF, EMCEF, CEC• 9 negotiation meetings, Dec 2010- Feb. 2012• Translations in 13 languages!

Main points GDF Suez agreement

• Reference to legal context at national, EU and international level but ambition to go beyond

• Recognition of gaps, commitment to reduce and eradicate them• Issues covered

– Equal pay for same job or of same value, pay transparency, closing found pay gaps in 3 months maximum (individual)- total package of pay elements

– Recruitment, positive action + 30% of women of total workforce by 2015– access to decision –making: 25% by 2015– Career development– Maternity– work/life balance– part-time – promotion of access to full time jobs– training– Sexual harassment– subcontracting

HOW

• Role of trade unions, social dialogue • equality plans at company level negotiated by

trade unions &/or works councils and management, reviewed every year on the basis of jointly defined equality indicators wages, training, working time, part-time work, parental leave

• Dissemination. • training on equal opportunities• unions commit to increased Nr. of women in their

delegations,• European follow up committee: annual review

( ETUF, trade unions, management and expert ) on the basis of equality indicators

• Non compliance= referred to ETUF for meeting with management

Most difficult issues

• Coverage/ threshold of application; – Agreement applies to all employees ( EU/EEA) and to

candidate countries at trade union request)– equality plans for > 300 employees 12 months after entry

into force, for > 150 employees 24 months• Data or more precisely details of data on pay and pay

gap • Gender equality indicators• earmarking a budget to reduce gender pay gap • Employers are more comfortable to “ feminise” jobs

than “ masculinise” jobs typically held by women • Paternity leave: recognition/promotion + further study

6 months after signing of the agreement• Resources to follow up and promote implementation of

the agreement

Next steps

• Overall positive assessment, importance of “ local” equality action plans and recognition of trade union role

• European federations recommend adoption of the draft agreement broadly in line with trade union mandate

• Revised draft agreement subject to Internal consultation within the unions involved in the negotiations

• Deadline set for 12 April 2012• Further information http://www.epsu.org/r/260

I. EPSU Policies- generalII. EPSU Gender-MainstreamingIII. EPSU Policy priorities and challenges in women’s and gender equality work- Austerity and the impact on gender equality- Monitoring the Gender Pay Gap- Gdf-Suez European Agreement IV. The way ahead- conclusions

The way ahead- conclusions

• Call for Strengthening of Equal Pay Directive- SP Consultation!

• Drawing attention to the disproportionate impact of austerity measures on gender equality

• Monitoring implementation of European agreement Gdf-Suez

• More coordinated work between European Industry Federations

http://www.epsu.org