International Equal Pay Day: Close the gender pay gap for social justice

photo: Equal Pay Coalition

This International Equal Pay Day, 18 September, the ITUC demands accelerated progress to close the gender pay gap. At the current rate, it will take 257 years.

Negotiations by governments for the Pact for the Future must include a recommitment to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.5 for “full employment and decent work with equal pay.”

ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle said: “Closing the gender pay gap is essential in achieving social and economic justice for women.

“For many years, trade unions have campaigned, advocated and organised for laws, policies and measures that address the many factors behind pay disparities. This includes pay transparency, anti-discrimination laws, family-friendly workplace policies, minimum living wages, measures to formalise informal work; as well as policies and measures that recognise, reduce and redistribute care work.

“That’s why evidence from around the world shows that joining a trade union can help narrow the gender pay gap.”

The crucial role of trade unions in achieving equal pay for work of equal value was recently discussed during a side event of the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) at the G20 in Brazil. Brazil, which currently holds the presidency of the G20, has identified gender equality and the promotion of diversity in the workplace as key priorities for the G20 Employment Working Group (EWG).

Equal pay events

To mark International Equal Pay Day, the ITUC will hold a webinar with trade union activists from the Philippines, Australia, Spain, and Brazil. The webinar aims to showcase trade unions’ crucial role in achieving equal pay for work of equal value, as enshrined in ILO Convention 100 and in SDG target 8.5, and building more equal, fair and democratic workplaces as part of ITUC’s #ForDemocracy campaign.

Meanwhile EPIC will hold a high-level event on solutions to close the gender pay gap, which will include Stuart Appelbaum, President of Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) and Chair of the AFL-CIO International Committee in the USA.

The ITUC has been a part of EPIC since its launch at the UN General Assembly in September 2017 and is a member of the steering committee. Its main objective is to speed up the rate of progress to close the gender pay gap and achieve equal pay by 2030.