Equal pay for equal work? The path to pay transparency!

Equal pay for equal work? The path to pay transparency!

November 2nd is an important date in Austria because on this day, on average, men across Austria have reached their annual salary, which women have to work for until the end of the year. Statistically speaking, women work “for free” for 60 days. These figures are alarming and illustrate the existing wage gap of currently 16.3 percent, which must be closed with a view to gender equality. However, in recent years, Equal Pay Day has moved back one day, a total step back of 22 days since 2015, according to the Small newspaper reported.

The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) has identified the EU wage transparency directive as a central lever for closing the wage gap. This directive is expected to be implemented by June 2026 and will require companies with more than 100 employees to provide information on pay by gender. Studies show that men in the EU earn around 13 percent and in Austria even 18 percent more than women, making the gender pay gap a chronic disease that needs to be treated urgently, as is the case press highlights.

Political initiatives for equality

In this context, Women's Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner refers to Iceland, which is seen as a role model in the Gender Gap Report. While the NEOS support the EU wage transparency directive, they warn against over-regulation and bureaucracy for companies. The Greens are committed to ensuring that transparency obligations also apply to companies with 35 or more employees and that corresponding income reports are made anonymously accessible.

A key aspect that contributes to the wage gap is the unequal distribution of unpaid care work. SPÖ women's spokeswoman Schatz calls for these tasks to be distributed equally and for equal waiting periods. In addition, a legal right to free childcare should be guaranteed from the age of one. The NEOS support the demand for an expansion of childcare places in order not to force women into part-time positions. The Greens are also calling for 50,000 new childcare places by 2030.

Women in the workplace and social challenges

Another problem is the high part-time rate among women, which, according to FPÖ women's spokeswoman Rosa Ecker, needs to be addressed. She calls for better pay in the areas of care, social services and education, as well as full credit for child-rearing and care periods in the pension. Ecker criticizes the government for so-called “ideological debates” and emphasizes that gender asterisks have no influence on salaries.

Meanwhile, the ÖVP highlights progress in equality, such as the increase in the proportion of women in state-related supervisory bodies from 51.4 percent to 53 percent. Despite this progress, the challenges in empowering women in education and work are far from being overcome.

WHO emphasizes that gender encompasses social constructs linked to inequalities that also overlap with other social and economic factors. This discrimination not only impacts wages, but also access to health services and information, where women and girls often face greater barriers than their male counterparts. Fair and transparent pay is therefore not only a question of equality, but also of the health and well-being of all genders WHO clarified.