Equal Pay Day: Women in the Kufstein district are working unpaid for 73 days this year

The Kufstein Equal Pay Day on October 20th shows that women in the Kufstein district earn almost 20 percent less than men. That’s the equivalent of 11,542 euros.

KUFSTEIN. The question of Income equality between women and men is a legitimate one even in 2024 – even in the Kufstein district, this problem still represents a major challenge for many female employees. This is also proven by the so-called Equal pay daythe one in Kufstein district this year on October 20th falls. On that day, compared to their male colleagues, women spend the rest of the year working virtually unpaid, which statistically corresponds to 73 days. The Income disadvantage of female employees in the district is also included 19.9 percent or the equivalent of 11,542 euros.
Creating more equal pay will probably not only concern the Kufstein district in the next few years, as the Tyrol-wide Equal Pay Day falls on October 21st and that for Austria on November 1st.

“Poverty in old age is female”

ÖGB state women’s chairwoman, Sonja Föger-Kalchschmied calls for clear legal regulations when it comes to the pay of women.

“It is a scandal that women still earn so much less than their male colleagues – and that in 2024,”

Föger-Kalchschmied sums it up. One Pay equity Must be guaranteed, in the form of more transparency on wages, justified wage reporting or effective penalties for companies that violate the same principle of pay, she adds.

“Poverty in old age is female,”

she says about the later consequences that women had to bear in retirement because of the income gap in their working lives.

Free care is long overdue

Föger-Kalchschmied sees the possibilities for combining family and work as being very lagging behind. In your opinion, a comprehensive offer of all-day, free children’s education and care facilities Long overdue from the first birthday.

“In addition, we need significantly more offers in the area of ​​care – especially in day care – to relieve the burden on caring relatives, because they are mostly women,”

she highlights. It is no coincidence that women in particular work part-time or forego employment altogether, as they often have to compensate for the lack of these structures. “Child education and care are not luxury goods, but a basic requirement for equal opportunities,” the trade unionist further emphasizes. She holds the future federal government accountable and calls for an end to the standstill in women’s policy.

“It is time to finally initiate far-reaching reforms to eliminate structural inequality,”

she emphasizes. One is particularly important Reduction in working hours with full wage compensationfrom which women in particular would benefit. In addition, unpaid care work must be distributed fairly to enable women to achieve economic independence.
She expects a clear change of course in women’s policy from the new government. “Mere lip service is no longer enough,” she clarifies. It now needs immediate implementation in practice: “It is time for comprehensive protection against violence, for the expansion of children’s education and for income equality – it is.” Time for serious women’s politics.”

Current news from the Kufstein district can be found here.

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