Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-09-19-Speech-3-148"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2001-09-19"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Equal pay for work of equal value2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20010919.10.3-148"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2001-09-19-Speech-3-1492
lpv:speaker	lp:Maria Martens2
lpv:spokenAs	member; Committee on Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 member; Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) (1999-10-06--2002-01-14)3 member; EPP-ED (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Christen Democratisch Appèl (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Temporary committee on human genetics and other new technologies in modern medicine (2000-12-13--2001-11-29)3 member; Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, efforts to equalise pay for male and female workers for work of equal value have been made at European level since 1951. In 1957, this was enshrined in the Treaty of Rome as a guiding principle and in 1975 in a directive. Despite the legal ban on wage discrimination, there is, as has been said on several occasions today, still a wage gap in the EU at the moment. That is unacceptable. I appreciate that in some cases, it is difficult to establish an objective wage formation process or job evaluation procedure, but that does not take away from the need for more transparency and gender-neutrality. The report rightly mentions value discrimination. That is where the government could step in, but so could the social partners. As stated before, they too play a significant role. It is also important to involve women more in wage negotiations and in the decision-making process in general, and to recruit more women in decision-making bodies. It is embarrassing that the statistics available at European level on male and female wage differentials are out of date and incomplete. I therefore welcome the initiative to collect new data and I support the idea of carrying out further studies into the factors which affect salary scales, as well as the causes of unequal pay for work of equal value. A wage difference of 15% remaining after taking into consideration aspects such as age, training and career level is, as already mentioned, not acceptable. The topic we are discussing at the moment cannot be seen in isolation from other aspects related to women and the participation of women in work. It is closely related to aspects such as access to work, chances of promotion, a combination of work and care, etc. Equal pay for work of equal value can help break the vicious circle of lifelong inequality: lower pay leads to a smaller pension or to more work in order to obtain the same pension; more work often entails a greater need for child care, less time to develop other talents or abilities or to relax outside work, etc. I am pleased that the Belgian Presidency prioritises this issue and hope that the Member States will take this appeal seriously this time. I am also expecting the campaign on this topic in the year 2002 to provide a boost for it. The report we are discussing is an initiative report. I would like to congratulate the rapporteur, Mrs Smet, on her work. It is mainly thanks to her commitment that this initiative report is now before us. It outlines once more a number of aspects very clearly and offers specific directions for solutions."@en1

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