Cyprus gender pay gap needs 30 years to close

Women in Cyprus will need to wait another 30 years to see their earnings equal those of their male colleagues, according to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

Based on Eurostat data on gender pay gap trends, the ETUC calculates that the EU’s earnings divide will not be eliminated until the next century at the current pace of change.

Cyprus is slightly better off,  as according to the ETUC, its gender pay gap is expected to be erased in 2051.

It said the gender pay gap in the EU has narrowed by just 1% in the last eight years, at this rate, women in the EU will have to wait another 84 years to achieve equal pay if current wage trends continue.

In Cyprus, the gap was 16.8% in 2010 and fell to 13.7% in 2018, so according to the ETUC, if Cyprus keeps closing the gap at the same rate, then it will be overcome in 2051.

The ETUC also found that without binding pay equality measures to change the current trends, pay difference will continue to grow in nine EU member states.

“Women in Germany and the Czech Republic will have to wait until 2121 for equal pay while the gap is closing at such a slow pace in France (0.1% since 2010) that it is on course to take over 1000 years to reach equality.”

Women in another nine countries will have to wait until the second half of this century.

The ETUC argued the pay gap could end this decade without further action in just three countries (in at least one case on unacceptably low wages for women and men).

“Against this background, the ETUC is alarmed that the European Commission has delayed publication of its anticipated pay transparency directive from November 4 (Equal Pay Day) until December 15 and cast the entire initiative into doubt by marking it as ‘TBC’”(to be confirmed).”

It has sent a letter to EU President Ursula von der Leyen to seek clarity as to the reason for the delay and assurances that the directive will go ahead despite pressure not to act.