Finnish Women Earn 10% Less Than Men for Same Work - Building Gender Balanced Business

• Finnish women doing the exact same private-sector work as men earn 10% less than the men, the Union of Salaried Employees found.

• Yes, we know most countries would see that as a nirvana of near equality, but in Finland, such a gap is cause for upset or anger, or both.

• The overall cost to women of the gap is 145,000 euros over the course of the average career, with women making 1,000 euros less a month at the end of their careers than men in exactly the same jobs.

• The gap is already apparent and growing at age 30 and keeps growing for the rest of workers’ lives. The researchers said differences in training, experience, hours worked and ability did not explain the discrepancies.

• The union based its findings on a survey of 20,000 members in spring 2009.

• Petri Palmu, a researcher at the union, told the broadcaster YLE: “Attitudes can explain the difference. Some employers see females as a burden because of parental leave issues. There is a person with his or her own attitudes and beliefs behind every salary decision.”

The YLE report