All over the globe, women in the work world receive, on average, 20 per cent less than their male counterparts. In countries explicitly committed to eliminating the gender pay gap, such as those in Europe, women still earn, on average, 13 per cent less than men do. This is regardless of the fact that countries with persistent pay gaps have deployed a strategic institutional measure to raise the wage floor of feminised work sectors and reduce the gender pay gap – namely, collective bargaining.
With this in mind, WAGE aims to explore the gendered dynamics of collective bargaining by examining historical, contemporary and possible future practices in Germany, Norway and Sweden. Focusing on two different sectors, metal and nursing, WAGE will analyse collective bargaining processes and their impact on wage disparities, using qualitative research methods to pave the way for greater gender equity in the workplace.
