Women still earning less than men in Finland
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Despite the fact that the Finnish government is making efforts to reach pay equality, the findings of a recent equality report published on Tuesday by the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) suggest that a euro for women works out at a mere 80 cents.
The government and the trade unions have set a goal that in 2015 women would earn at least 85 percent of men’s salaries.
When adding up the pay for regular working hours and overtime and Sunday rates, the gap between men’s and women’s salaries in Finland grows even larger.
Currently, the pay of the female members of SAK-affiliated trade unions is only 77 percent of men’s salaries on average. The gap has grown somewhat over ten years. In comparison, the corresponding figure for 2000 was 78 percent, while for 1995 it was 79 percent.
According to the SAK report, women’s earnings on all income levels are, on average, lower than those of men. However, the gap widens as the income improves (see graph The smallest pay gaps between the genders are found in the private services sector while the largest differences exist in industrial jobs.
Even though the pay gap between female and male members of SAK-affiliated trade unions has increased slightly, the differences are smaller than exist in other worker groups.
According to Statistics Finland, the gender gap is larger among the members of the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees STTK, and among the highly educated members of AKAVA - the Confederation of Unions for Academic Professionals.
The SAK equality report is based on information gathered in January to February 2005, and a total of 6,200 SAK-affiliated trade unionists responded to the questionnaire.
Links:
The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions
Statistics Finland
The Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees STTK
AKAVA - the Confederation of Unions for Academic Professionals
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 8.3.2006 - TODAY |
Women still earning less than men in Finland
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