Last week the Irish Congress of Trade Unions issued an appeal to Government ahead of International Women’s Day, to stand firm against employer lobbying to delay the June deadline for new EU pay transparency rules becoming law.

Adopted in 2023, the EU Pay Transparency Directive is intended to reduce the gender pay gap. Fifty years after equal pay became a legal right, women working in the Irish labour market today earn around 90 cents for every euro men earn for each hour worked on average. 

Under the new laws, employers must start providing pay details to job applicants, and interviewers must stop asking about pay history. Employers will no longer be able to stop their staff talking to each other about their pay and employees can request information on how their pay compares to the average paid to colleagues doing the same work or work of equal value. 

In its statement, ICTU called out recent reports of concerted lobbying efforts by employer representatives to push out the June deadline for pay transparency.  

ICTU president Phil Ní Sheadghda and general secretary Owen Reidy have written to Minister for Equality, Norma Foley, warning the Government must stand firm. 

Phil Ní Sheadghda said: “Eleventh hour lobbying from employer representatives should not be allowed to frustrate this important piece of employment equality legislation. Businesses have had years to prepare for this. Government needs to get on with legislating for pay transparency, or risk fines from Europe and the ire of 1.27 million female employees”.  

Fórsa deputy general secretary and ICTU vice president Katie Morgan said: “This legislation is badly needed. While public servants can benefit from pay scales, many workers cannot. Lack of pay transparency entrenches gender inequality and leads to women earning less over their lifetimes than men. It’s time to stop prevaricating and implement this vital legislation.”  

Listen back to ICTU Policy Officer Laura Bambrick and Ibec’s Maeve McElwee on RTE Radio One’s Drivetime Should pay transparency rules be delayed? - Drivetime 

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