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Reconciliation policies: pre-condition for quality jobs

(for women and men !)

Putting the quality of jobs at the heart of the

European Employment Strategy

Brussels, 29 February 2008

Catelene Passchier, confederal secretary European Trade Union Confederation

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The challenge (1)

42 Percent of German women believes

that having children will mean the end

of their career …………..

Financial Times Deutschland, Monday 25 June 2007

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The challenge (2)

In the autumn of 2007 in Bulgaria, 85 % of teachers were on strike.

Most of them women. They demanded a substantial wage increase. Their current wage is 150 Euro per month (compared to around 400 for a skilled blue collar worker).

Wages in Bulgaria are the lowest in EU 27. Fertility rates as well ……….

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Scenario 1: compromise strategies

(fitting women into a male world) • The ‘standard worker’ is a full time worker;

the organization of work is based on full time availability (plus overtime and/or irregular hours…..)

• Careers are linear; career breaks lead to ‘wage penalties’ • Children are a private matter, for which women/families

can receive ‘support’ • Household chores are done by ‘invisible hands’;

care (female work) does not have a ‘value’ • Individual solutions to cope (with ‘income-penalties’):

part time, flexi-time, (unpaid) leave, childcare

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Scenario 1: results

Perpetuation of – traditional division of labour of men and

women at home – segregation in the workplace

Short term advantages: – low visible costs or investments needed

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Scenario 1: results (continued)

Long term negative effects: – low fertility,

– stagnating labour market participation

– under-utilisation of female human capital,

– persistent gender gaps in terms of pay and pension rights etc. (majority of working poor are women, because of low wages and/or low working hours)

Burden of adjustment on women !

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Scenario 2: structural changes (for men and women)

• The ‘standard worker’ is a worker (m/f) who cares (in various degrees throughout life course)

• Careers are flexible, with alternating periods of high work intensity and lower work intensity;

• Work organizations are responsive to change and diversity

• It is a public interest to invest in an environment that supports and facilitates the (private) choice to have children, and combine paid work with care

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Scenario 2: results

Gradual change towards – more equal division of labour between men and

women at home – diminishing gender segregation in the

workplace – care (both paid and unpaid) is higher valued

Short term costs: – (public and private) investment in childcare,

dependent care, social security, leave, etc.

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Scenario 2: results (continued)

Long term benefits: – higher fertility

– higher (and more adaptable!) labour market participation (and economic performance …?!)

– full utilisation of male and female human capital

– higher wages/ more income security for women, more gender equality

Burden of adjustment more evenly spread over women and men, workplaces and societies

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Some evidence

• a positive correlation between female employment and fertility (with different outcomes for NMS related to low wage levels)

• a negative correlation between female unemployment and fertility

• a wage gap between full time and part time working women

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Correlation between total fertility rates and female employment rates in 2003 (Eurostat 2006)

DE

DK

CZ

BE

EU 25

EE

GR

ES

FR

IE

IT

CY

LVLT

LU

HU

MT

NL

AT

PL

PT

SISK

FI

SEUK

1,1

1,2

1,3

1,4

1,5

1,6

1,7

1,8

1,9

2

2,1

30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75

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Correlation between female unemployment rate and total fertility 2004 (Eurostat)

uk se fi

sksi

pt

pl

at

nl

mthu

lu

ltlv

cyit

iefr

es gree de

dk

cz

beeu25

0

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

0 5 10 15 20 25

Correlation = - 0,52

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Wage gap between women due to working time (full time vs part time)

(source O’Dorchai et al. 2006)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

DK IT BE ES UK IE

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What Europeans think Governments should prioritize to influence fertility

1. Reducing unemployment, flexible working hours, childcare

2. Family allowances, tax advantages

3. Cost of children education, housing

4. Parental leave, maternity benefits

Source: several Eurobarometers

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21-st century: we need new images

….. and policy coherence! • in flexicurity debate • when revising the Working Time Directive• when tackling demographic change

Longer working lives and more adaptability?

then shorter working days and more flexibility for workers!

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Mainstreaming reconciliation, ETUC’s demands (1)

• Updating the Pregnant workers Directive (h+s protection, breast feeding,wage level)

• Improving the Parental leave Directive (paid leave, leave for sick dependants, etc.)

• New rights: paternity leave, adoption

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ETUC’s demands (2)

• More and better childcare

Publicly funded

• Dependant care (new Lisbon target)

• Better jobs in care and household services

• Higher wages for women’s work

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ETUC’s demands (3)

Real choice for workers to adapt work and working hours to their needs:

• Mainstreaming reconciliation in working time policies and regulations (+ collective agreements)

• Introduce right to request change in pattern of work in Working Time Directive

• Introduce right to request – reversible – reduction or extension of working hours (in Part time work Directive ?!)

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Improving the Parental leave directive Priority: paid parental leave

Eurobarometer 1998 (EU-15): Give 2 main reasons for not taking unpaid leave to care for

children or dependents (slide shows answers of workers between 25 and 39)

men womenI cannot afford it 67.2 % 71.1 %Fear of losing job 22.9 23Harmful for career 9.8 6Financial dependency 21.2 24.2Other / do not know 17.8 15.1

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Action by European Social Partners

The 1990’s

• Parental Leave Agreement /Directive

• Part Time Work Agreement /Directive

• Fixed term contracts Agreement/ Directive

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Framework of actions on gender equality (2005)

4 priority areas for action:

- Addressing gender stereotypes /segregation

- Promoting women in decision-making

- Supporting work life balance

- Tackling the gender pay gap

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2007 – 2008 ………

Joint evaluation of Parental Leave Directive: • evaluation of parental leave arrangements • in connection with other arrangements supporting

parents and work life balance • such as flexible work arrangements and childcare

as well as other forms of leave • to assess if joint actions need to be taken….Report on progress to

Tripartite Social Summit March 2008

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Thank you !

www.etuc.org