Women continue to earn less than men, not least because 26% of them received the minimum wage in 2020, which contributed to 8,5% being in poverty despite working, according to a study by the CGTP.
According to an analysis by the CGTP's Social Studies Office, based on data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), in 2020, there were 827 thousand workers receiving the national minimum wage, corresponding to 23,5% of workers in the private sector. that 424 were women.
The study, which the Lusa agency had access to, states that there is a link between the weight of women in different activities and the percentage of male and female workers receiving the national minimum wage, as well as with the concentration of women in these activities, given that 73,5% of women's employment in the private sector was concentrated in the nine activities where the share of the national minimum wage was higher among women.
Citing the Survey on Earnings and Working Duration, the analysis points out that the activities with the highest incidence of female workers receiving the national minimum wage were the textile, clothing and footwear industry, with about 52% of female workers in this situation, the food industry and beverages, the wood and furniture industry, accommodation and catering, the manufacture of non-metallic mineral products, all with more than 40% of incidence.
This was followed by administrative activities and support services, various services, health and social support activities (from the private sector) and commerce, all with percentages above 30%.
"As a result of the low wages earned, in 2019, 8,5% of working women were poor even after social transfers, that is, even after receiving the social benefits they receive", says the document, which will serve as a basis of discussion for the 8th National Conference of the Commission for Equality between Women and Men, to be held in Lisbon, on June 2nd.
Women currently constitute about half of the active population and of total employment and more than half of salaried employment, around 52%.
However, they continue to earn less than men, with a difference of 14%, in general, and 26,1% among senior management, according to the CGTP study.
When comparing monthly earnings and not just wages, the global gap rises from 14 to 17,8%, as men do more overtime and receive more bonuses, as women continue to provide more assistance to the family.
According to the study, in the Public Administration the problem of inequality is verified in the access of women to managerial positions, being only 41% of the total of superior managers, despite constituting 61% of the workers of the sector, what later is reflected in the their wages.
Precariousness is, according to the CGTP, another factor that contributes to wage inequality.
According to the Inter study, the data for the last quarter of last year analyzed also show that workers with precarious ties have lower wages than workers with permanent ties, the difference being greater the more precarious the contract.
In 2020, precariousness measured by INE data reached more than 712 thousand workers, 373,5 thousand of them women (52% of the total).
Precariousness affected 17,8% of all salaried workers, with the highest incidence among working women (18%).
Intersindical also cited the ILO's World Wages Report 2020-2021, to state that the current pandemic crisis "is having more negative consequences in Portugal in terms of wages, than in other European countries and particularly among working women" .
According to the ILO report, workers saw their income from work decrease after the emergence of covid-19, with Portugal being the country, among 28 European countries studied, where the biggest wage losses occurred between the 1st and the 2nd. Th quarter of 2020, which were felt worse among women.
Portuguese workers lost, on average, 13,5% of their wages in the 2nd quarter of 2020, above the average loss of 6,5% of the 28 countries analyzed, but the loss of women was 16%, compared to 11,4 , XNUMX% lost by Portuguese working men.
In 2020, there were 2.330 thousand women employed in our country, 2.071 thousand of whom were employed by others (89% of the total), according to the INE's Employment Survey.
The majority (82,5%) of employed women worked in services, around 16% in industry, construction, energy and water (mainly in manufacturing industries) and only 1,7% in agriculture, animal production, hunting, forestry and fishing , accentuating trends that came from behind.
Among services, health and social support (18%), commerce (15%) and education (14%) are of greater importance, which together absorb about half of women's employment.
According to the same study, the level of education of women continues to rise, with 38% having completed higher education, 28% secondary or post-secondary education, but the increase in qualifications has not been properly matched in terms of rising wages.
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