Socialists say 'End the Pay Gap' - Women earn up to a third less than men
Shock over EU pay gap of a third between men and women European Socialists will next week publish evidence of the failure of EU legislation on equal pay and set out a positive action plan to tackle the problem. The evidence - to be published on International Women's Day, 8 March - is drawn from specially-commissioned research by the EU data service, Eurostat. The research shows that the pay gap between men and women for work of equal value is up to a third in some countries. Across the EU as a whole, the pay gap is 16 per cent. Said European Parliament Socialist Group spokeswoman on women's rights, MEP Lissy Gr�ner of Germany: "I am appalled at the clear failure of one of the cornerstones of EU equality policy. Many people will have thought that inequality between the pay packets of men and women was dealt with last century. "Now we have to go back to a basic campaign at a time when many other problems need to be addressed - not least, the problem of violence against women in their own homes. Socialist MEPs now plan to launch an "End the Pay Gap" campaign, setting out a range of urgently-needed policy measures and highlighting the issue during an International Women's Day debate in the Parliament in Strasbourg next week. Later in the day, members of the 202-strong Socialist Group and their allies in other political groups will target email messages on decision-makers at national and European level. E-cards will also be used to raise awareness in the public at large of continuing inequality between women and men. Said Ms Gr�ner: "The labour market has many gender divisions, including those that concern job opportunities and working time contracts. Such divisions have a knock-on effect on lifetime employment patterns and poverty in old age. "To end the pay gap, we need a strategy of training to improve women's skills, awareness-raising among employers and trades unions, proper job descriptions and pay - and full transparency." The Socialist Group is recommending action by national governments, which have to implement new antidiscrimination legislation, based on statistics, monitoring of wage gaps and trends, provision for flexible working with safeguards for social security rights and avoiding gender segregation in the labour market. Other measures including promotion of parental leave for fathers and voluntary career breaks to help people strike a better balance between family and working life. Taxes and benefits should be reformed, say the Socialists, to help women to return to the workforce after having babies. Asociatia/The Association"Proeducatia Rromilor Europeni in Contextul Integrarii Euro-Atlantice si Mondiale"Vizitati pagina http://www.geocities.com/survivor1977roVisit the web page http://www.geocities.com/survivor1977ro __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give underprivileged students the materials they need to learn. Bring education to life by funding a specific classroom project. http://us.click.yahoo.com/FHLuJD/_WnJAA/cUmLAA/RR.olB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> EuroAtlantic Club: http://www.europe.org.ro/euroatlantic_club/ *** Birou de traduceri autorizate. Oana Gheorghiu - tel/fax: 252.8681 / [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romania_eu_list/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
