Women’s and Gender Equality
Gender Equality – public service workers leading the way
Find out who is your EPSU representative for Gender Equality here
Check out EPSU Congress 2009-2014 Resolutions on equal pay: Equal Pay and Equal Pay in female dominated sectors
What are the main issues for EPSU ?
Over 65% of public service workers in the European Union are women who deserve recognition, in terms of the role they play, and in terms of the pay they receive. Closing the gender pay gap and improving women’s pay is a key issue to EPSU.
The pay gap in public services is about women getting less money than men for the same work or work of same value. It is also about women having fewer career opportunities than men.
Within the EPSU organization, we strive towards achieving gender equality in decision-making bodies and committees. Of the top 8 positions in EPSU, 4 are currently held by women, including the post of President, General Secretary, and Vice President. EPSU’s Gender Equality Committee has the same constitutional standing as the Executive Committee. More efforts must be deployed to be truly representative of our membership consisting of a large majority of women.
Find out more about EPSU and Women’s and Gender Equality Committee
Gender pay gap widens following cuts to public sector jobs and pay
(EPSU press release, Brussels 28 July 2011) The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) has sent an open letter to European Commissioner Viviane Reding (read below) demanding that it takes action to ensure that the work done to date to close the gender pay gap is not rolled back as a result of the cuts implemented across Europe as governments seek to reduce their deficits in the wake of the banking bailouts. Speaking on behalf of the more than 5 million women affiliated to EPSU, (...)
The European Union fails to deliver on maternity according to trade unions
(Press release – 20 June 2011) The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) expresses its deep concern that the EU Employment and Social Affairs have failed, yet again, to make progress on the revision of the pregnant workers directive which would provide improved maternity rights for millions of women across the EU. At the meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 17 June, the EU Employment Ministers were unable, and in some (...)
Time to speak out about the silent crisis - years of work on equal pay and gender equality under threat
(EPSU Press release 5 May 2011) At its annual meeting, the European Federation of Public Service Unions’ (EPSU) Women and Gender Equality Committee, debated the impact that the economic crisis and the austerity policies being imposed by Governments across Europe are having on women workers in the public sector and on gender equality generally. The meeting discussed the preliminary findings of EPSU commissioned research on the impact of public sector pay and job cuts on women in four (...)
Women’s and Gender Equality Committee meeting (2 days)
3 - 4 May 2011
ITUH, room B - Brussels
Invitation to the 16th meeting of Women’s and Gender Equality Committee 3 May 2011: 09.30 – 17.00 AND 4 May 2011: 9.30 – 16.00
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to the EPSU Gender Equality Committee meeting on Tuesday AND Wednesday 3 and 4 May 2011.
Venue and time It will take place at the International Trade Union House, room B, 5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels. The meeting will start at 9.30 and end at 17.00
Interpretation (...)
ITUH, room B - Brussels
Invitation to the 16th meeting of Women’s and Gender Equality Committee 3 May 2011: 09.30 – 17.00 AND 4 May 2011: 9.30 – 16.00
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to the EPSU Gender Equality Committee meeting on Tuesday AND Wednesday 3 and 4 May 2011.
Venue and time It will take place at the International Trade Union House, room B, 5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels. The meeting will start at 9.30 and end at 17.00
Interpretation (...)
Solidarity Message of Czech trade unionists - International Women’s Day
Solidarity Message of Czech trade unionists from TU of the Health Service and Social Care to our EPSU Colleagues on the occasion of International Women’s Day
(8 March 2011) We are female healthcare workers who provide all kinds of medical and nursing care to clients in hospitals and residential social-care institutions in the Czech Republic. We are women taking care of all, both the young and the old, who need our assistance. Besides our professional engagements we are engaged also in the (...)
(8 March 2011) We are female healthcare workers who provide all kinds of medical and nursing care to clients in hospitals and residential social-care institutions in the Czech Republic. We are women taking care of all, both the young and the old, who need our assistance. Besides our professional engagements we are engaged also in the (...)
100th International Women’s Day: Austerity, celebrating the setback for gender equality in Europe!
(March 8) The European Federation of Public Services Unions (EPSU) wants to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the celebration of working women. In 1911 after the call by Clara Zetkin hundreds of thousands of women, many of them trade union members, demonstrated for equality, justice and fair pay.
Today, the public sector employs more than 60 % of women in Europe. The economic crisis which governments shortsightedly resolve by unilateral austerity measures and ensuing pay cuts in the (...)
Today, the public sector employs more than 60 % of women in Europe. The economic crisis which governments shortsightedly resolve by unilateral austerity measures and ensuing pay cuts in the (...)
EPSU publishes full gender pay gap survey: Still a long way to go for gender equality!
On the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day EPSU publishes finalized Gender Pay Gap survey from 27 European countries
The gender pay gap remains a huge obstacle to fair gender equality. It has to be tackled and addressed with effective measures, to avoid the risk that it begins to widen under current economic circumstances and austerity measures. In particular as the gender pay gap is major indicator of inequality at the workplace.
Two resolutions were agreed at (...)
The gender pay gap remains a huge obstacle to fair gender equality. It has to be tackled and addressed with effective measures, to avoid the risk that it begins to widen under current economic circumstances and austerity measures. In particular as the gender pay gap is major indicator of inequality at the workplace.
Two resolutions were agreed at (...)
“SAVE THE DATE” - Joint ETUI-EPSU “Gender Pay Gap” Training Seminar 16-18 November
ETUI and EPSU will be organizing a training seminar from 16-18 November in Vienna to raise awareness of the gender pay gap and the sources of pay inequalities in the public sector, and to address the problem of the concentration of women in low-paid jobs.
The objective will be to identify and present best-practice examples from selected European countries in the public sector and compare policies that aim at reducing the gender pay gap.
It will provide participants with a balanced (...)
The objective will be to identify and present best-practice examples from selected European countries in the public sector and compare policies that aim at reducing the gender pay gap.
It will provide participants with a balanced (...)
EPSU supports Italian women demonstrating against misuse of their image
(11 February) The European Federation of Public Services Unions (EPSU)on behalf of its 8 million members, 67% of whom are women, wants to express its solidarity with women’s protest day that is taking place in Italy this Sunday 13 February .
The protest, led by women including EPSU’s vice-president Rosa Pavanelli ( FP CGIL) , calls for respect of women’s dignity.
It is also a fresh reminder that attacks against gender equality go hand in hand, most often than not, with attacks on (...)
The protest, led by women including EPSU’s vice-president Rosa Pavanelli ( FP CGIL) , calls for respect of women’s dignity.
It is also a fresh reminder that attacks against gender equality go hand in hand, most often than not, with attacks on (...)
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