At 16:34 last Monday afternoon (7th November) women across France quietly packed their bags and walked off their jobs. This was to mark the precise time at which they effectively stopped being paid for 2016. Women in France are paid 15.1% less than men, and at 16:34 last Monday there was 15.1% of the year left.

In Ireland, the gender pay gap currently stands at 13.9%. This means that women coming into work this morning were, relative to their male colleagues, effectively working gratis until the end of the year.

Last week’s French protest was inspired by an Icelandic movement which has seen women walk out of work on October 24th for the past 11 years. Initially, the women downed tools at 14:08, but as the pay gap began to shrink they left later each year. In 2016 they left at 14:38 to reflect the little progress that has been made.

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