Sweden
A new report from the LO trade union federation says that the pay gap between blue-collar and white-collar workers grew from 34% to 43% in the 10 years to 2004. The report argues that higher pay increases are now needed for blue-collar workers. It also reports that the gender pay is 18% with women earning on average 20,700 SEK a month (2,200 euros) compared to 25,200 SEK (2,700 euros) per month for men.
Read more at > LO
A new report from the Belgian government says there is a 15% pay gap between men and women working full-time in the private sector. The report says that the pay gap is even wider when taking account of the fact that many more women than men work part-time and lose out because of their caring responsibilities. According to the report, the 15% pay gap puts Belgium fifth in a league table of European countries. [Read more at > the VRT news website in English->http://www2.vrtnieuws.net/cm/flandersnews.be/News/070326_wage%2Bgap] [And > in French->http://www2.vrtnieuws.net/cm/flandreinfo.be/Infos
Vision, the union representing mainly white-collar workers in local government, has agreed a new four-year deal which it says breaks new ground. There are general increases of at least 2.6% and 2.2% in the first two years but then in years three and four the focus will be on individual wage increases. The union believes that individual increases will allow workers to secure higher pay increases and will reduce the structural pay gap. Vision also secured improved benefits for working parents. [Read more at > Vision (SV)->https://vision.se/Din-trygghet/Avtal1/Kommun-och-landsting/Avtal-2013
The 2006 review of pay across Europe by the EIRO industrial relations observatory indicates that on average collectively negotiated pay increases in the EU15 remained at 3.0% in 2005, the same figure as 2004, while the New Member States saw the average rise to 5.6% to 6.7%. In the EU15 and Norway pay rises in local government averaged 2.2% in 2005 down from 3.2% in 2004. There were fewer figures available for the New Member States but the average of 3.7% in 2005 was down on the 5.2% recorded in 2004. Civil service pay deals in the EU15 and Norway averaged 2.3% in 2005 down from 3.0% in 2004
