Description
The project objectives are aimed at combating the gender pay gap through comprehensive knowledge of the factors that cause it, encouraging corrective measures implemented in companies through collective bargaining; improving information of those involved at the negotiation table; improving the participation of women in negotiations, and, in general, increasing social awareness about this job discrimination. The project therefore envisages a closer look at the gender gap in pay, revealing the relative importance of the factors causing both direct and indirect, as well as sectoral differences detected. The project will identify best practices and develop trade union proposals of the various actions of union work, developing tools for unionists to further the potential of collective bargaining and social dialogue. The gender pay gap is not just a Spanish problem, so it will be interesting to know the tools and best practices in collective bargaining or other countries. The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) provide another perspective and best practices to consider.
Summary of project results
The gender pay gap involves numerous obstacles that hinder women’s access to and permanence in the job market, in the same conditions as men. Union action is a key element for tackling more efficiently the pay gap in businessesand workplaces. The general objective of the project was to reinforce the role of collective bargaining in fighting the Gender Pay Gap (GPG) and promoting equality between women and men. To this aim, a first operative objective of the project was to raise awareness and knowledge among unionists about the roots, causes and consequences of the Gender Pay Gap and other gender inequalities in employment;a second objective was to inform and train unionists on how to better introduce gender equality and the fight against the Gender Pay Gap in the negotiating committees and to increase women’s participation therein. Three products have been created in relation to gender pay gap: first, a research study was carried out about the Gender Pay Gap; second, a Guide for Trade Unions on the Gender Pay Gap was edited; and third, a monograph on Gender Pay Gap was published in the union’s “Trabajadora” magazine. All three products were edited and published (the Research and the Guide digitally -with 450,000 recipients- and the magazine physically with 4,000 recipients). These materials were used to train and inform female and male unionist participants in two technical seminars (80 assistants); 2 state seminars and 1 international seminar (each of which with over 60 participants) and a final Conference (107 participants) held in several Spanish cities, reinforcing so the role of Collective Bargaining in promoting labour equality between women and men. The international conference was held with the participation of LO-Norway and UNI Global Union trade union representatives. It is estimated that 600,000 persons have been reached by any of the activities.
Summary of bilateral results
To have a partner in the accomplishment of this project was fundamental to confer to itself the transnational perspective. This partner has been LO-Norway. The collaboration has been intense: in the report contributing the sociolaboral situation of Norway, in the international day made in Toledo a representative of LO-Norway presented the studies made by its union against the wage breach of sort; In the final conference participated by providing best practices carried out in companies.