Gender equality: Why women continue to earn less

Gender equality: Why women continue to earn less

The debate about the income differences between men and women will remain explosive in 2025. A recent study shows that 98 percent of all occupations are regulated by collective agreements, indicating that there are no significant gender pay differences in these areas. According to this analysis, which in vorarlberg.orf.at was published, the wage gap is reduced to a maximum of five percent when factors such as training and professional experience are taken into account. Nevertheless, the Chamber of Labor contradicts this representation and argues that women earn on average 20 percent less, even in areas where collective agreements apply.

Women in the salary discussion

The discrepancy is also reinforced by different negotiation strategies between the genders. Women tend to give greater importance to the working atmosphere and quality of life, while men push harder for an increase in their salaries. This confirms the Chamber of Labor's assessment Böckler.de notes. The Hans Böckler Foundation also shows that women are less likely to reach leadership positions in many professions and also lag behind their male colleagues when it comes to self-employment, which further deepens the financial gap.

In addition to the pay gap, there is also evidence that women are often pushed into more precarious jobs. The interactions between part-time work and care work show that women are not only paid less, but also bear the majority of the unseen “mental load”. Around 63 percent of women in dual-earner households work full-time without children, while childcare significantly limits their career options, as only 29 percent of women with children can work full-time. These inequalities reflect a deeper social and economic problem that urgently needs to be addressed.