To end inequality and violence against women

Several EPSU affiliates are planning symbolic strike actions on International Women’s Day and many will be organizing events and rallies. Others will focus on politicians and social media campaigns. We will all be active on this symbolic day and by using our common symbols, logos and slogans we can show the incredible solidarity in our movement for the demands of women. Europe has made little progress over the last decade and the meagre initiatives of the European Commission to promote a better work-life balance are opposed by employers and governments especially in the European union.

EPSU wants to put fighting for equality and ending discrimination back on the EU agenda. Our Women’s conference demanded a New Gender Contract. Women in the EU earn almost 17 per cent less than men and that must stop! Working women receive only 51 per cent of what the average male pensioner receives. We want to end the gender pension gap and female poverty. Women and men in public services are standing together to value the work of women. Every day we are active in our workplaces, our bargaining and political work trying to change the situation.

On 8 March we will show what we do and focus attention on our fight to #Endthegap, to #Breakingwiththepast.  As our Conference underlined, much work remains to tackle major areas of inequalities such as the gender pay and pension gaps, to address work-life balance, to promote the value of care and care services in which so many women work and on which many women depend, to stop the violence against women and to ensure gender mainstreaming in all policies. Please let us know what you plan to do on the day.