Monday, November 9th marks the day women in Ireland effectively begin working for free due to the gender pay gap.
The gap between rates of pay among men and women is currently 14.4 per cent. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality, Ireland scores 72.2 out of 100 in terms of overall gender equality.
The Republic’s figure drops to 55.8 in terms of power, indicating women hold far fewer senior roles.
WorkEqual has marked Equal Pay Day every November for the past five years and this year has produced an online video featuring Irish political figures to mark the day.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu and joint Chairs of the WorkEqual Oireachtas All-Party group, Senators Ivana Bacik, Lorraine Clifford-Lee and Emer Currie are among those featured in the video.
The video will be released tomorrow morning on WorkEqual’s social media platforms with over 20 members of the Oireachtas discussing gender equality.
At lunchtime, a panel discussion will also be held online discussing why it is important to understand the pay gap in relation to gender equality in the workplace.
"We still have a long way to go"
Founder of the WorkEqual campaign and co-founder of fashion brand Lennon Courtney, Sonya Lennon said the pay gap is an indicator of larger issues that exist in the workplace.
“There are multiple, complex factors that contribute to the gender pay gap. These include fewer women in senior or higher-earning roles, and more women working part-time.
Women are not yet on an equal footing – economically, socially or politically – with men.
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“While the pay gap is a somewhat blunt tool and it must be remembered that it is a symptom of deeper issues, it is effective in proving that, across the workforce, women persistently earn less than men.
“Equal Pay Day – and the WorkEqual campaign overall – is about highlighting and challenging the reasons for this,” Ms Lennon said.
“Ireland has made progress on gender equality in recent years, but we still have a long way to go.
“Women are not yet on an equal footing – economically, socially or politically – with men. This needs to change,” she added.
The campaign is sponsored by SOLAS and Permanent TSB and will be holding events for the remainder of November.
