Equal Pay Day 2012
in Europe
Equal Pay Day 2012
Equal Pay Day
Initiated by BPW
in 2008
Equal Pay Day 2012
Why does equal pay matter?
 Closing the gender pay gap has benefits for employers and
workers
 Creates quality jobs
 Attracts the best and most talented workers
 Creates a positive working environment
 Increases productivity and competitiveness
 Closing the gender pay gap makes the economy as a whole
more profitable
 Women play a vital role in Europe’s employment and growth
 Their skills and talents are necessary for economic and social
development
 Closing the gender pay gap can help to create a more equal
society
 Valuing women’s skills can improve their economic independence
 Fewer women will be in poverty, particularly upon retirement
Equal Pay Day 2012
The History of Equal Pay Day
► Initiated by BPW/USA in 1988 as the “Red Purse Campaign“
► 2008 - Brought to Europe by BPW Germany with the first Equal Pay
Day
► Equal Pay Day expanded throughout Europe in 2009/2010
► 2010 - International Awareness campaign by BPW International
launched in New York at CSW
► 2010 - EU organizes Equal Pay Day on 15 April (fixed date)
► 2011- EU follows the calculation formular and organizes the first
European Equal Pay Day on 5th March 2011 (average pay gap over
Europe 17.5 %)
Equal Pay Day 2012
What is Equal Pay Day?
► Equal Pay Day symbolizes the day until which women have
to work longer to earn the same salary as men earned the
year before.
► Equal Pay Day is a calculated day depending on the pay gap
of each country.
► The goal is that Equal Pay day will be earlier each year
according to the development of the pay gap in the country.
► At Equal Pay day there are activities and events in each
country to raise awareness for this still existing pay gap.
Equal Pay Day 2012
How to calculate the date
(figures of Switzerland as example)
Pay gap
(e.g.
19,3 %)
Average
Working
days
per year*
(225)
Additional
Working
days (49) =
11th March
* Depending on
number of holidays in
the country
Equal Pay Day 2012
The Goals of Equal Pay Day
► Raising awareness and mobilization
► To force governments and companies to change their gender policy
► Making the “unknown and illegal“ pay gap a topic in the media and
in the companies
► Through media coverage the pay gap becomes a subject of public
discussion
► The goal is: Equal Pay Day will be earlier each year as the pay
gap decreases or even disappears.
Equal Pay Day 2012
The symbol of Equal Pay Day:
A Red bag

On Equal Pay Day women and supporting men wear a red bag

Red stands for red numbers.

The red bag stands for red numbers in women‘s pockets.
France
Spain
Italy
Germany
Equal Pay Day 2012
The Logo
► Red numbers on our paychecks
► Less income below the line
► Red numbers in women´s pockets
► Designed by Natalie Schommler from Germany,
available free of charge for non-commercial use
Equal Pay Day 2012
Events & Activities by BPW in Europe
► Info stands and events in pedestrian zones or
shopping centers
► During lunch break women, equipped with a red bag,
meet in a restaurant or go to the cantine
Italy
► During the “unhappy hour” cafes, bars, restaurants
and retailers offer a rebate of xx % for women
equivalent to the pay gap in the country
Italy
Spain
Austria
Equal Pay Day 2012
Events & Activities by BPW in Europe
► Shops decorate their windows with red bags
► Workshops for salary negotiations
► Equal Pay Day on TV in the news
► Serving dishes on the street
Estonia
Switzerland
France
Equal Pay Day 2012
Events & Activities in Europe (2)
► Letter to 1500 CEOs to inform them about equal pay tools for
their companies like equalsalary
► Panel discussions with high level speakers
► Award for best Equal Pay Posters at schools
► Promote and watch the film «We want Sex (Equality)»
Poland
together at a local cinema
Switzerland
Equal Pay Day 2012
Equal Pay Day in the press
High media coverage in the local and
national press in the countries.
13
Equal Pay Day 2012
Equal Pay Day Webpages
A Web page is an important tool to provide detailed information for the general
public, the media and our members
► For women and men about the topic “Equal pay for equal Work!”
► About the background Equal Pay Day
Germany
► About cause and effect of the pay gap
► Overview of regional events
► Contact persons
► Q&A about salary negotiations
► Articles and books about equal pay
► Press articles and press reviews
► Links to ministries, salary calculators, etc.
Equal Pay Day 2012
Webpage examples
Estonia
France
Austria
Equal Pay Day 2012
Tools for companies
 There are tools in some countries to analyse the
salaries of women and men within companies (with
more than 50 employees)
 For Example
– Equal Salary (in Switzerland to be paid)
 Companies receive certification and label
– Logib (in Switzerland and Germany for free)
 Encourage companies to use these tools to
reduce the pay gap internally and to become
an attractive employer for women!
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Equal Pay Day 2012
What is the EU doing?
Equal Pay Day 2012
Delivering statistics:
Gender Pay Gap in the countries
This is important for countries where no official statistics exist.
Equal Pay Day 2012
What action has the EU taken?
Under EU law it is illegal to discriminate against women at work and in their
pay:
 Equal pay for equal work is one of the European Union’s founding principles
– Article 141 of the Treaty calls for equal pay for work of an equal value
– The Directive 75/117 provides that the principle of equal pay means, for the same
work or for work of equal value, the elimination of all discrimination on grounds of sex
with regard to all aspects and conditions of remuneration. In particular, where a job
classification system is used for determining pay, it must be based on the same criteria
for both men and women and so drawn up as to exclude any discrimination on
grounds of sex

The 2002 Directive on equal treatment as regards access to employment,
vocational training and promotion, and working conditions also applies to
pay and requires Member States to establish Equality Bodies to promote
equal treatment

These Directives have been incorporated into a single Directive 2006/54
(The Recast Directive) on equal opportunities and equal treatment in
employment and occupation
Equal Pay Day 2012
EU gender pay gap campaign and
material
Information and material from the EU can be downloaded on this webpage:
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/gender-pay-gap/index_en.htm
Equal Pay Day 2012
The gender pay gap across the lifecycle
 Stereotypes shape
women's and men's roles
in society, starting at a
very early age
 Whilst this may reflect
personal preferences,
traditions and stereotypes
may influence, for
example, the choice of
educational paths and
employment patterns
http://ec.europa.eu/equalpay These Posters can be downloaded from EU webpage.
Equal Pay Day 2012
The gender pay gap across the lifecycle
 Women and men still tend to
work in different jobs. Women
often work in sectors where
wages are, an average, lower
than those dominated by men
 The gender pay gap exists
even though women represent
as many as 59% of all
university graduates
 Women's skills and
competences are undervalued especially in those
occupations where women
predominate
Equal Pay Day 2012
The gender pay gap across the lifecycle
 Women’s opportunities for
progression and higher pay
in the workplace are affected
by their family responsibilities
 The gender pay gap widens
when women have children,
and particularly when they
work part-time
 The employment rate for
women with dependent
children is only 62.4%
compared with 91.4% for
men with children. More than
three-quarters of part-time
workers are women (76.5%)
Equal Pay Day 2012
The gender pay gap across the lifecycle
 The gender pay gap
reduces lifetime
earnings and
women's pensions
 When women retire
their lower pensions
mean higher risk of
poverty
Equal Pay Day 2012
First results and
good practices
Equal Pay Day 2012
Equal Pay Day in Europe
initiated by BPW (2008 – 2011)
Equal Pay Day
in 17 countries
up to now.
Number of
activities
increased every
year.
Equal Pay Day 2012
Equal Pay Day activities show results!
 Those countries who started early, now see the
progress (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
 Pay gap has been reduced in these countries
after 3 - 4 years and Equal Pay Day is earlier
now.
 Equal Pay is regularly in the media in the EPD
countries and awareness has increased.
Equal Pay Day 2012
Months Jan - April
Equal Pay Day shows positive
developments after 3 years
Germany
Switzerland
Austria
2010
2011
2012
These 3 countries
started very early
with the calculated
date of Equal Pay
Day.
Equal Pay Day 2012
Good practices for Equal Pay Day
 The creativity for campaigns and activities in our
federations is amazing.
 The more creative they are, the more interesting to
the media.
 Campaigns with humor are very attractive for the
media (France, Estonia).
 Financial support is sometimes granted by a ministry
or the EU.
 Cooperation with other women organisations, tradeunions and trade associations (Germany)
 Promote Equal Pay together with the WEPs
(principle no. 2)
Equal Pay Day 2012
Organize Equal Pay Day Events
2012 in your country!
►For a “Equal Pay Day” all over Europe!!!
►Promote to wear a red bag at your Equal Pay Day
►Inform us about your planned activities and
announce them on your website.
►Send us pictures and text for the European website
Together we can make the change!
Equal Pay Day 2012
Contacts and further information
concerning Equal Pay Day
and BPW
Sabine Schmelzer
Regional Coordinator Europe
coordinator@bpw-europe.org
www.bpw-europe.org
Please
replace
this with
your
national
contact
details.
Equal Pay Day 2012