Saxony is better off than the national average when it comes to the difference in pay for men and women, but there is still a gap. The difference between the regions is large. The corona pandemic, on the other hand, has had less of an impact than expected.
Dresden (dpa / sn) - Good training, professional experience - and still less money: The wage gap between women and men in Saxony is narrowing, but it still exists. According to a study presented by the Ministry of Equal Opportunities in Dresden on Wednesday, the gap in Bavaria fell from 8.5 percent in 2019 to 7.6 percent in 2020.
This puts Saxony in a better position than the national average, where the difference in earnings between women and men was 19.3 percent in 2020. "Every percent difference is definitely one too many, even in Saxony," said State Secretary in the Ministry for Equal Opportunities, Gesine Märtens. The aim must be to completely close the gap.
The chairwoman of the DGB women in Saxony, Heidi Becherer, also sees a need for action: "The data show that greater efforts are needed to create gender equality, upgrade women's work and get more women into well-paid jobs and managerial positions."
For the study, researchers from the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research of the Federal Employment Agency (IAB) also examined a possible influence of the corona pandemic on the wage gap. Michaela Fuchs from the IAB explained that the first wave of the pandemic had not yet had an effect on the wage differences among full-time employees. That was surprising because mothers in particular looked after children at home during the first lockdown. Although after-effects cannot be ruled out, it is initially a good sign that the wage gap did not widen at the beginning of the pandemic.
There are big differences between the regions: The so-called gender pay gap is highest in the district of Zwickau (11.8 percent), lowest in Görlitz with just 0.9 percent. At 10.1 percent, the difference in the state capital of Dresden is also greater than the Saxon average. On average, full-time women in Saxony earned around 93 euros gross per day as of June 30, 2020, men came to around 100 euros.
According to the experts at the IAB, the difference in earnings is even greater if characteristics such as qualifications, age or professional experience are taken into account in the statistics: the so-called adjusted gender pay gap in Saxony was 11.7 percent in 2020. Women are often better educated than men, but earn less, says Michaela Fuchs.
On the basis of the study, the Ministry of Equal Opportunities now wants to talk to trade unions and municipalities, said Gesine Märtens. In addition, EU funds are to be used to provide more support for single parents and migrants in their professional life and for female founders to be promoted beyond the previous bonus.
Märtens also pointed out that a new equality law in the public sector is currently being negotiated in Saxony, which is due to be heard after the summer. "We need a better climate in Saxony for the compatibility of work and family."
