Ref. Ares(2021)3535027 - 28/05/2021
To
@ec.europa.eu
President von der Leyen
European Commission
Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat 200
1049 Brussels
Belgium
Dear President,
We are contacting you to raise with you industriAll Europe’s concern about the
Commission work programme. We understand from the ETUC that the EU
Commission is considering a plan is put the EU Pay Transparency Directive and the
whole Gender Equality Strategy onto ice.
In our assessment such an approach would be a mistake with far reaching
consequences. We urge you to reconsider.
President, you made gender equality a cornerstone of your Presidency. Binding Pay
Transparency was one of your first 100 days comittments. Action to secure gender
equality cannot be called into question even in times of COVID-19 crisis. Equal pay is
a requirement of the EU Treaty, it is not a fair weather option.
The announced Pay Transparency Directive must go ahead. It must provide workers
and their unions with the rights and tools to demand transparency and achieve
correction in case of inequality.
Moreover, the current crisis has shown the need for a Gender Equality Strategy that
thoroughly reevaluates the value of work that cleaners, retail, transport, care and
healthcare workers provide to our society. Throughout the EU, this key work is
predominantly undertaken by women. It is long past time that these workers secure a
permanent income boost and earn a fair wage with adequate benefits. This needs to
be tackled as part of the recovery, working women should not be put to the back of the
que to be dealt with after the recovery.
We can’t repeat what happened after the 2008 crisis when companies bounced back
but working people and gender equality paid the price.
I look forward to your positive response and we remain available to assist you in your
endeavours to secure an EU where Gender Equality is a reality for all.
International Trade Union House (ITUH)
- Boulevard du Roi Albert II 5 (bte 10)
- B-1210 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2/226 00 50 xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx
www.industriall-europe.eu
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