Frankfurt am Main – Not even half of women in Germany can secure their long-term financial future with their income. While 73 percent of men have a gross income sufficient to cover their basic living expenses, the figure for women is only 47 percent. These figures from the Institute for Economic and Social Research (WSI) of the Hans Böckler Foundation painfully illustrate the current state of gender equality in Germany.
Christiane Benner, President of IG Metall, calls for a more decisive approach: “When it comes to care work, women work significantly more than men but earn significantly less. Women face a higher risk of poverty in old age, especially if their careers are interrupted by having children. Yet they are still the ones who care for family members and raise children. Something is wrong here; something must be done. Better childcare and eldercare structures are urgently needed, but they can only be the beginning.”
A Solution to the Pay Gap: Collective Bargaining Agreements
There are ways to combat the pay gap: In companies in the metal and electrical industries covered by collective bargaining agreements, the pay gap currently stands at 9 percent, as shown by a special analysis from the Federal Statistical Office. While the union considers this gap to still be too wide, it is twice as high—at 18 percent—in companies not bound by collective bargaining agreements. This means that women with a collective bargaining agreement in the metal and electrical industries earn over eleven euros more per hour than women without one. This can amount to a four-digit sum per month. Collective bargaining agreements are essential. They protect against potential poverty in old age and enable women’s economic independence.
The Debate on Working Hours: Completely Absurd, Especially in Light of the Part-Time Trap
Far too many women currently work fewer hours than they would like, while policymakers debate whether the region can afford the high rate of part-time work. IG Metall’s position is clear: Part-time work is not a lifestyle choice, but a reality of life—and often a reflection of a lack of public infrastructure. Many women would gladly work more if the conditions were right: available and affordable childcare, reliable care services, and fair employers.
The debate over removing limits on working hours must come to an end: The maximum daily working hours serve to protect health and promote equality. After all, overwork is not gender-neutral. Even now, women shoulder one and a half times as many hours of care work as men. A system based solely on weekly working hours would further increase the burden, especially in professions that are already physically demanding. For IG Metall, one thing is clear: This would not be modernization, but a step backward, and would lead to the entrenchment of outdated gender roles.
Strengthening Co-determination
In companies with co-determination, the opportunities to counter structural inequalities are significantly better: shift schedules that make work-life balance possible, transparent pay systems, and works council members who consistently raise the issue of equality with the employer, thereby steadily improving conditions for everyone.
Union leader Benner expresses her appreciation: “Without works councils, many parents would have finally reached their limit during the childcare crisis of recent years. A works council becomes stronger when it reflects reality—young, experienced, diverse, and, of course, female. To ensure works councils remain strong: Vote for the IG Metall team in the upcoming works council elections!”
Additional press photos and information about Christiane Benner
