The ETUC is urging the European Commission to reconsider plans to abandon its pledge to introduce binding measures to boost equal and fair pay because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Binding pay transparency measures to close Europe’s 15% gender pay gap were one of just five pledges that Ursula von der Leyen vowed to deliver within 100 days of becoming Commission President.

But a leaked Commission work programme revealed the long overdue action to deliver gender pay equality and fairer pay for women could be kicked into the long grass. It says:

“On pay transparency, this was highlighted in the Political Guidelines, but it should be noted that anything of substance will inevitably mean more administrative burden for companies. It is questionable whether the autumn will really be the right time for this proposal.”

The ETUC believes that this would be a betrayal of millions of women who disproportionately work in jobs that put them on the frontline of this crisis.

Read the full press release here.