This Friday, February 22 is the day for equal pay . The difference between what a man and a woman earns is a reality that accompanies women throughout their working lives, from the time they enter the labor market until they retire. Women earn 5,793 euros less per year on average than men, according to the latest data published by the INE. Therefore, to achieve a salary average equivalent to that of a man throughout their working life, women would have to work ten more years . These are the keys to inequality:
Why is there a wage gap?
The wage gap is an indicator that informs about the differences between a man’s and a woman’s salary in the labor market. It is usually expressed as a percentage of men’s wages.
In Spain, the wage gap is made up of more elements than a remuneration difference between co-workers of different genders, since that would imply direct wage discrimination pursued by law. Thus, there are several factors that at the end of the year, workers are charging less than workers. “In the business field there are discriminations and inequalities that are indirect and lead to a constant feminization of lower wages,” they recently pointed out from UGT .
One of the main influencing factors is salary supplements , which are often discretionary, and that is where the differences in pay begin.
How has the pay gap evolved in recent years?
According to the latest report presented by the UGT with data from the 2016 INE, the salary gap is around 22.35% . This has been reduced to 2010 levels, but still remains very high.
In which sectors is the wage gap most noticeable?
Several sectors exceed a thirty percent salary difference between men and women. In administrative activities and auxiliary services it represents 32.61%. In professional, scientific and technical activities, 32.23%, and in other services, 31.36%.
With the lowest wages, hospitality workers receive an average of about 12,608 euros per year, a difference of 3,298 euros less than their colleagues who perform work of the same value. It is one of the most backward sectors in this regard.
What types of contract are most affected by the gender gap?
Women who access an indefinite contract find themselves with a salary gap of 23.78%, being the most affected.
Temporary hiring in 2016 affected, according to UGT data, 26% of women in wage employment and 25% of men. In addition to the penalty of not receiving a salary throughout the year, women receive an average of 11.98% less than annual salary.
How many working women are poor?
In Spain, the percentage of people with salaried employment that are below the poverty rate is 16.8%, the majority (64.25%) are women.
The poor women are employed 1,644,710 , two out of ten employed. More than half of the women in employment are mileuristas, a total of 4,037,952 workers.
How old are the most affected women?
The wage gap rises to 50.36% for older women , 65 and over, who must remain in their jobs to achieve a contributory retirement.
In which community is the wage gap higher?
Asturias, Navarra and Cantabria are the communities with the highest wage gaps. In contrast, the islands, both Balearic and Canary Islands, have the lowest. Extremaduran women receive the lowest wages, and their gap is 19.46%. The women who charge the most are those from Madrid and the Basque Country.
