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British women come second in the league of part-timers in Europe, according to the latest research. In the European Union as a whole, nearly a third of employed women work part time, with the highest figure in the Netherlands at 69%. The UK figure, at 45%, is slightly ahead of Sweden, which has far better childcare provision. Of part-time workers in the EU overall, 18% would prefer a full-time job but 63% prefer working part-time. In the UK almost a quarter of the working population is now in part-time work and the number of men in non-standard hour jobs is rising. The full figures for women, in descending order, are:
|
Netherlands |
69% |
Ireland |
22% |
|
UK |
45% |
Luxembourg |
18% |
|
Sweden |
42% |
Spain |
17% |
|
Denmark |
35% |
Finland |
16% |
|
Belgium |
31% |
Italy |
13% |
|
France |
29% |
Portugal |
13% |
|
Austria |
29% |
Greece |
9% |
The Amsterdam Treaty enshrines the right of member to adopt positive discrimination measures. The move follows a case in the European Court of Justice known as the Kalanke judgement, which ruled against giving a job to a woman according to the principle of positive discrimination. The new treaty now clearly states that the principle of equal treatment shall not prevent any member state from maintaining or adopting measures providing for specific advantages in order to make it easier for the under represented sex to pursue vocational activity or to prevent or compensate for disadvantages in professional careers. Furthermore, the new treaty, in its section of what the EU is for, now includes the words equality between men and women.
International Women's Day (8th March) should be dedicated to Afghan women, Commissioner Bonino told a committee of MEPs. Women in the war-torn country were barred from all education and compelled to wear an all-enveloping burqa: "they look like shadows, they feel like shadows". The MEPs backed the idea after learning that the women had to give up work and independence.
The Commission has issued a call for proposals (a bid for funds) under the Medium Term Community Action Programme on equal opportunities for men and women. The project relates to exchange, development and information on best practice. Participation by the trade unions, especially joint proposals from employers and employees' organisations, NGOs and local and regional authorities are particularly encouraged. The deadline for submission of proposals is 15 March.
A survey out in January shows that women's pay as a percentage of men's is still lagging by as much as a third in some states. Hourly rates for women in the UK on average are 64% those of men, 73% in France and Spain, and 84% in Sweden. In craft and related trades the UK percentage was a low 61.3%. The Eurostat survey also found that the greatest differentials were among older women, while women under 20 earned on average 93% of their male counterparts' wages in the four countries surveyed.
Occupation |
UK |
France |
Sweden |
Spain |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clerks |
89.8 |
70.2 |
80.1 |
92.6 |
|
Professional |
82.9 |
78.9 |
87.7 |
78.9 |
|
Service sector/retail |
80.7 |
86.1 |
84.6 |
70.5 |
|
Machine operators |
74.5 |
92.6 |
95.5 |
76.3 |
|
Basic jobs |
73.6 |
70.5 |
96.2 |
76.2 |
|
Technicians |
68.9 |
67.0 |
88.7 |
86.1 |
|
Managers |
65.8 |
76.3 |
92.0 |
76.3 |
|
Crafts and trades |
61.3 |
76.2 |
87.4 |
67.0 |
|
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