Difference in Wages between Men and Women Investigated by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia
The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR) surveyed 38,000 men and women to investigate the difference in their wages in similar positions. Trade unions want equal pay for work of equal value.
The survey confirmed the established inequality: the difference in favour of men remains up to 57% in mining, up to 54% in construction industry (among unskilled personnel). In information technology the wage of female managers is 64.5% less than that of male managers, in manufacturing industries – 42% less than that of male managers. This violates the Labour Code and Russia’s international obligations.
The minimum gap is in the public and financial sectors, as well as in the water supply sector; in government agencies, there is complete equality in wages for managers, the study says. It revealed the “stabilizing role of trade unions”: when they participate in the systematization of wages (through primary cells), the wage gap among unskilled workers is 12% smaller.
Recommendations of the FNPR Commission for the protection of women workers’ rights: The State Duma should oblige companies with a staff of more than 100 people to report to Rostrud on gender equality; the Ministry of Labour should introduce retraining of women in well-paid professions; employers should pay wages based on the complexity of work (and not on historically established rates), eliminate unjustified gaps, develop mentoring for women’s career growth and to enshrine equality in industry agreements and collective agreements; trade unions should demand the abolition of discriminatory payment systems and offer women workers consulting and judicial support by using FNPR’s research.
GCTU News
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