Equal pay in Europe

12.3.2015

Question for written answer E-004034-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Pablo Echenique (GUE/NGL)

The impetus given to insecure jobs and part-time contracts under the labour reforms imposed by austerity governments, affecting mainly women, has made the pay gap wider.

Focusing on the European framework and taking into account that Eurostat only gives the pay gap in hourly earnings, without considering part-time work, and at certain companies, the gap in Spain is among the highest of EU Member States at 19.3% (similar to the 20.2% recorded in 2002), compared with a European average of 16.5%. Only in Hungary, Germany and Slovakia is this gap higher than 20%.

Does the Commission not think that the economic recovery of a country must involve recognition of the paid employment of women in economic terms and the reactivation of consumer spending, since it is women who are responsible for a large part of household purchases, thereby increasing the demand for market products, the creation of jobs and contributing to partially eliminating poverty?