Women Paid 22% Less Than Male Colleagues

Government statistics published today have revealed women are being paid 22% less than males in the workplace.

The findings by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) revealed the size of the gender gap for all employees and the nature of the gap in the full-time and part-time labour markets.

However, despite the shocking figure the gap is said to be closing, while around two-thirds of the observed gap was due to differences in observable characteristics between the sexes, such as different levels of education as well as labour market experience and job and firm characteristics.

When account of such factors was taken into consideration the remaining wage gap was close to 8%. However, this remaining percentage remains "unexplained".

Renee Dempsey, Chief Executive of the Equality Authority said: "This research shows that we still have some way to go to achieve equal pay for men and women in Ireland. Through a detailed analysis of the factors contributing to the pay gap - and how this varies by industry and by occupation - this study also helps identify the areas where action is most needed.

"It's clear that further progress in tackling the gender pay gap requires carefully targeted policies to promote gender equality within the workplace. We also need to facilitate greater sharing of care between men and women and to address the potential wage reductions associated with taking time out to raise a family."

For full-time employees, the raw gap was about 18% and the adjusted gap was just under 7%. For part-time employees the observed wage gap was around 6%, but the adjusted gap was higher, at 10%. This, according to the ESRI, suggests that part-time female workers are on the whole more qualified and experienced than their male counterparts.

Many other factors - such as a higher incidence of supervisory responsibility, longer tenure and higher trade union membership among men, and a higher incidence of part-time work among women - also widened the gap.

(DW/GK)