The same wages for the same work: women fight against the pay gap!

The same wages for the same work: women fight against the pay gap!

The Equal Pay Day is just around the corner! On February 13, 2025, we clarify the serious differences in income between men and women. The day of action, which was launched by BPW - Business and Professional Women - aims to draw attention to the unpaid work of women. This happens with the motto "because your competence counts, not gender". According to the current figures, the gender Pay GAP in Austria is 12.18 %, which means that women have to work more 44 days more to achieve the same income as their male colleagues. This corresponds to a whole year in which women are not paid! These alarming facts show that we can expect this gap in 2080 at the earliest, while the average pension of women is 30 % lower than that of men, such as ots.at reported.

In international comparison, Austria is even the penultimate position. Vorarlberg has the highest gap of 20 %, while the capital Vienna performs better with only 4.3 %. Nevertheless, the income situation has hardly changed in recent years. "It is terrifying how little has changed in the catastrophe of the women's wage situation," said Rita Volgger, President of BPW Austria. Global crises and the lack of childcare places further tighten the situation of women and single parents. In this context, it deserves that women in the United States earn $ 82 cents to earn men, while women get even lower wages from underrepresented groups, such as npr.org explained.

The shocking statistics

This injustice is not just a number on paper. Vivians from BPW sum up: women have to work around 15 months to earn what men receive in a year. This gender -specific wage inequality can also be seen in the higher rates of poverty risks and inadequate retirement provisions for women.
In order to make wages justice, measures must be taken: more transparency in salaries, tax relief for companies that pay the same wages, as well as an upgrading in the worst paid. The time to change has come!