Variations of the same? A sectoral analysis of the gender pay gap in Germany and Austria

Abstract

Germany and Austria are two countries with a comparably and persistently high gender pay gap. Further, both countries are classified as conservative welfare states where the male breadwinner model has been only partly modernized and strong corporatist structures shape working conditions. At the same time, welfare policy and provision are not only based on but also shape gender‐related norms, beliefs and assumptions that are virulent for job valuation and collective bargaining. Against this background the article analyses similarities and differences regarding the gender pay gap in Germany and Austria. While both countries show significant similarities regarding the causes for the gender pay gap, there are some differences regarding legislation and further policies with which the gender pay gap could be reduced. Arguing that the institutional framework strongly influences income opportunities for women and men, the article provides a sectoral analysis of the financial and insurance sector and the human health sector in both countries. Using qualitative data from a recent research project, it is argued that in the classification of a sector as ‘female’, the sectoral income level combined with different wage‐setting mechanisms have a crucial impact on wage inequalities between women and men.

The state as regulator? The ‘dual-track’ system of employment in the Chinese public sector and barriers to equal pay for equal work

“…Gender wage differentials are outcomes of a combination of political, institutional, economic, socio-cultural, demographic and organisational factors that are universal as well as country-specific (e.g. Auspurg et al., 2017; Bergmann et al., 2019). These factors may have varying effects on different groups of workers in different countries and over time.…”

Equal pay index for men and women: The performative power of quantification conventions

“…For instance, young males are more likely to pursue scientific and technical subjects, whilst young females are more likely to pursue arts as well as human and social sciences fields, which contributes to an uneven spread of men and women across professions as well as to differences in terms of professional responsibilities (Cappellin, 2010; Pochic, Peyrin, & Guillaume, 2011). The distribution of women in jobs is not the same as that of men, and this professional segregation is aggravated by the fact that female‐dominated professions are often less well remunerated than male‐dominated professions (Bergmann et al, 2019; Cech, 2013; Smith, 2009). Studies have shown the role that wage‐setting and job classification systems play in this matter (Acker, 1989; Bergmann et al, 2019).…”

“…Answering this question can provide insights into the issue of equal pay by underlining the links between the modes of calculation of the gender pay gap and the definition of this notion, whereas much of the literature on equal pay is devoted to the mechanisms that produce the gender pay gap (Bergmann et al, 2019; Durbin & Tomlinson, 2014). In addition, it brings together the literature on equal pay and the literature on performativity in organizations, which is rather new, as gender studies dealing with the calculation of equal pay remain scarce (Pochic & Chappe, 2019).…”

“…Furthermore, France presents the introduction of this index as a step forward, which would see the country become a champion of workplace equality, in comparison to other countries. However, certain countries such as Germany have proposed certain tools to companies to analyse the structure of their salaries according to gender (Bergmann, Scheele, & Sorger, 2019). The study of the French case shines a helpful light upon the situation in other countries.…”

Parents’ Strategies in Dealing with Constructions of Gendered Responsibilities at Their Workplaces

“…Despite major normative changes in recent decades, Austria is characterized by a substantial gender gap in men's and women's labor force participation as well as a large gender pay gap (Geisberger and Glaser 2017;Bergmann et al 2018). The transition to parenthood, in particular, entails long-term gender inequalities in parents' careers and involvement in family life.…”