Cross-sector social partner accord on gender equality

The central EU-level social partner organisations concluded in March 2005 a joint text on gender equality. Aiming to enhance gender equality at the workplace, the 'framework of actions' focuses on four priority areas, giving guidance on how to increase equality by means of concrete actions. The text also gives details of 20 best-practice case studies.

On 22 March 2005, a joint text entitled Framework of actions on gender equality was concluded by the cross-sector European-level social partners - the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) (including representatives of the EUROCADRES/CEC Liaison Committee), the Union of Industrial and Employers’ Confederations of Europe (UNICE)/European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (UEAPME) and the European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation and of Enterprises of General Economic Interest (CEEP). This joint text is the culmination of work on gender equality, carried out within the framework of the social partners’ three-year work programme, covering 2003-5 (EU0212206F).

The text highlights four priorities on which the signatory parties want the national social partners to focus over the coming five years. These are:

• addressing gender roles;

• promoting women in decision-making;

• supporting work-life balance; and

• tackling the gender pay gap.

The framework of actions states that these priorities are 'interconnected and of equal importance' and that any action taken at national, sectoral and/or company level will be most effective if these priorities are tackled in an 'integrated approach'.

Addressing gender roles

The joint text states that traditional gender roles and stereotypes have a strong influence on the division of labour between men and women at home, in the workplace and more widely in society, which tends to 'continue a vicious circle of obstacles for achieving gender equality'. Although the rate of employment for women has increased significantly over the past three decades, the increase has not been equal in all sectors and occupations. The signatory parties believe that it is crucial to desegregate labour markets if occupational gender equality is to be achieved.

The signatory parties acknowledge that some EU companies already check their internal practices and policies to encourage particular groups of people to enter and remain in employment. Further, there have been a range of initiatives in this area, undertaken by the social partners at company, sectoral and national levels.

The framework of actions singles out the following elements as key in the fight against stereotyped gender roles on the labour market:

• promoting non-gender biased education in schools and universities and providing efficient and non-stereotyped careers advice services. It is also important to encourage pupils, students and parents to consider all available career options for girls and boys at an early stage;

• making a special effort to attract girls and young women into technical and scientific professions;

• promoting the recruitment and retention of women and men with adequate skills at enterprise level in sectors and occupations where they are underrepresented. Further, the skills content of female occupations should be acknowledged and, where possible, enriched, so as to offer better career paths and opportunities for women in female-dominated sectors;

• raising awareness of middle managers in companies on ways to promote equal opportunities for all employees;

• promoting entrepreneurship as a career option for both women and men at sector and/or national level; and

• encouraging competence development for adults so that men and women can develop in their careers throughout their life.

Promoting women in decision-making

The signatory parties state that the number of women who are in decision-making positions is growing. However, only 30% of managers are women, only 10% of members of boards of directors are women and only 3% of chief executive or equivalent positions are held by women. Therefore, they believe that the social partners have a responsibility to ensure that the overall working environment supports a more balanced participation of women and men in decision-making.

The text highlights the following areas as key to improving female participation at all levels within companies:

• promoting competence-based gender-neutral recruitment in enterprises;

• retaining women in enterprise, to avoid loss of competence;

• encouraging career development for both men and women;

• promoting female entrepreneurship as a complementary way of increasing the number of women in decision-making and increasing women’s participation in the labour market; and

• promoting women’s role in the social dialogue at all levels and on both the employer and the trade union side. In particular, special attention should be paid to enabling women to take up responsibilities in the area of worker representation, by addressing the scheduling of meetings and the availability of facilities.

Supporting work-life balance

The signatory parties maintain that work-life balance can enhance employee satisfaction, promote 'workplace quality', contribute to an organisation’s reputation as an employer of choice and benefit both employers and workers. They note that successful policies must take account of the needs of both the employer and the worker, with the best results being achieved by means of dialogue. The text highlights the following areas as key in supporting a good work-life balance:

• flexible working arrangements that can be taken up on a voluntary basis by both men and women. They should be designed in a way that does not undermine workers’ long-term participation and position on the labour market;

• promoting a more balanced take-up of options designed to ease work-life balance. This could include encouraging take-up by men and encouraging parents to share leave periods more equally; and

• jointly approaching public authorities to develop instruments that help increase the availability of accessible and affordable child care facilities.

Tackling the gender pay gap

The text points out that there is a strong EU legal framework supporting equal pay for equal work and work of equal value. However, there is a persistent gender pay gap across Europe, which the signatory parties believe may signal labour market dysfunction. They also feel that the reasons for the gender pay gap are not always well understood. However, they acknowledge that important work has been done in areas such as equal pay reviews, equality plans and benchmarking, following recognition of the link between labour market segregation and the gender pay gap. They identify key areas of action as follows:

• giving information on existing legislation on equal pay and guidance on how to help close the gender pay gap at different levels;

• developing clear and up-to-date statistics and sector and/or national level to enable the social partners to analyse and understand the complex causes of pay differentials; and

• ensuring that pay systems, including job-evaluation schemes, are transparent and gender-neutral. Attention should also be paid to the possible discriminatory effects of secondary elements of pay.

Annexed case studies

The framework of actions has an annex containing 20 case studies of social partner agreements and practices from around the EU at national, sectoral and/or company level, presented at seminars held between January and September 2004. Together, they outline a range of good practice in various areas of equality actions and are drawn from a variety of public and private sector organisations, and sectoral and national agreements.

Actions and follow-up

The signatory parties state that their member organisations will promote the joint text at all appropriate levels. It will also be transmitted to all relevant bodies at European and national levels. At national level, the social partner will draw up an annual report on the actions carried out in Member States in each of the four priority areas identified above. After four annual reports, the European social partners will evaluate the impact on companies and workers. This may then lead to an update of the text’s priorities and/or an assessment of whether additional action is needed in one or more of the priority areas. The framework of actions on gender equality will also be taken into account when the next EU social dialogue work programme is prepared.

Commentary

The March 2005 framework of actions represents a concrete outcome for the social dialogue work carried out recently by the cross-sector EU-level social partners. Although much progress towards greater equality between men and women at the workplace has been made over the past three decades, it is clear that much remains to be done, particularly in the areas of the gender pay gap and occupational segregation. This text therefore attempts to highlight the key areas for action, focusing on practical tools to help the social partners at all levels to improve equality between men and women at work. The annexed case studies will also provide orientation and guidance in terms of good practice in a range of areas.

The impact of the text will be monitored over the coming four years and it will then be reviewed if deemed necessary. It is hoped that this will ensure that all actions taken in this area are relevant to the goal of improving gender equality and can make a positive contribution to achieving this aim. (Andrea Broughton, IRS)