INTERVIEW
In France, despite an unenforced law dating back to 1972, men earn 22.8% more than women. In "Cash Investigation" on Tuesday evening on France 2, a survey carried out by Zoé de Bussière and entitled "Gender equality: balance your salary" is devoted to equal pay. The two journalists talk about it in "Culture Media" on Tuesday, taking the example of nurses, very requested during the coronavirus crisis and poorly paid. For them, it is necessary to compare work of equal value, as is done in Quebec.
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"For work of equal value, equal pay"
In this survey, the researcher Rachel Silvera pleads for a change of slogan and considers that it is necessary to replace the famous "for equal work, equal pay" by the slogan "for work of equal value, equal pay". "It would change everything," says Élise Lucet. "We saw the importance of nurses during the Covi-19 crisis. Everyone was already amazed by what they do, the arduousness of their profession, the attention they pay to others ...", recalls the journalist.
"They have bac +3, they earn an average of 1,800 euros net per month. Senior hospital technicians, who also work at the hospital and who do not a priori have the bac, are better paid than nurses. made a comparison between these senior hospital technicians and nurses, the nurses' wages will necessarily be increased, "she explains.
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The Quebec example vs the French law of 1972 not applied
However, the law of 1972 stipulates that "any employer ensures that for the same work, or for work of equal value, equal remuneration between men and women must be respected". An unenforced law. But there are solutions. In Quebec, for example, the fight for equal pay started with zoo keepers. In the early 1990s, a union realized that a zoo keeper was paid better than a nursery assistant.
A revelation "which has shaken public opinion a little," explains Zoé de Bussière. In 1995 there was a large wave of protests across the country and in 1996 the equity law was passed. "This has made it possible to reassess a lot of so-called 'female' professions", underlines the journalist.
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So why not in France? "The Quebec example is a real example of political decision," says Élise Lucet. "To increase the nurses and revalue all this sector there - because they still earn 5.500 euros more per year today, so it is a quite significant revaluation - we had to freeze wages for two years and explain to the population that to upgrade the predominantly female trades, it had to be done, "says the journalist.
"I think Quebecers accepted it because they knew there was injustice and discrimination. At some point, politicians must take up the problem and apply their own laws," said she. In France, we have another problem. "There are relatively few controls and sanctions. The law which must impose 40% of women on the boards of directors exists but there is no control on this law nor sanctions on the companies", points out Élise Lucet.