Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

The Committee notes the Government’s report as well as the observations made with regard to the application of the Convention by the Federal Chamber of Labour, which were received with the Government’s report.

Assessment of the gender remuneration gap. The Committee notes that the gross annual income of women employed full time for 2007 was some 22 per cent lower than men’s. In the same year women’s gross hourly wage was 25.5 per cent lower than men’s, the second largest pay gap in the European Union. The gender remuneration gap in respect of gross annual income of employed workers (including part-time workers) was 40.1 per cent, practically unchanged since 1997. Similarly, wide gender remuneration gaps exist in respect of average hourly wages received by full-time and part-time workers. The Committee expresses concern that this very wide gender remuneration gap persists, despite the measures that have been taken so far to address it.

The Committee notes that according to the Government, the gender remuneration gap is primarily due to unequal remuneration offered to women upon entry into employment, unequal opportunities for promotion, and childcare responsibilities which have a limiting effect on women’s access to better paid positions. In addition, the Government regards the lack of information and of transparency in relation to remuneration levels as contributing to the persisting gender remuneration gap. In the Government’s view, the publication of workplace wage differentials would assist in closing this gap. According to the Federal Chamber of Labour, the income differentials between men and women cannot be explained by differences in working hours, levels of education, sectors or occupations, but rather by the existence of structural discrimination against women who receive lower pay for work of equal value. The Chamber also points to the need to improve wage transparency within and between companies.

The Committee notes that tripartite consultations are currently taking place on amendments to the Equal Treatment Act regarding wage transparency. Central aspects of the discussions are the possibility of requiring regular anonymous wage reports by enterprises of a certain size and the inclusion of pay information in vacancy announcements. The Committee firmly hopes that the ongoing consultations will be successfully concluded in the near future, and it asks the Government to provide information on the measures taken to strengthen the existing legislation to provide a basis for reinforced action to eliminate the gender remuneration gap, including through the publication of enterprise-based wage information.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.