The Industrial Relations Board is currently in talks with workers’ representatives and employers for proposals to be drawn up on how to strengthen the Employment Act to ensure that men and women doing the same job received equal pay.

Addressing a news conference on the occasion of Women’s Day, Equality Minister Helena Dalli stressed that the government was committed to ensure that the concept of equal pay for equal work was implemented without exception.

This concept should also ensure and strengthen the commitment against discrimination at the place of work on the basis of one’s sex.

This concept was currently protected in the Constitution and other legislation but several situations where there was discrimination as well as segregation of the sexes at the place of work, leading to wage differences and career advancement opportunities still had to be rectified.

The minister said that the role of social partners, policy makers and other concerned parties was fundamental to strengthen transparency on wages and increase knowledge on the subject in society, particularly among workers and employers, to reduce abuse.

She said that although the difference in wages between the sexes reached 11% in 2016, and was lower than the European average, this difference was growing because of the increase in women in employment.

The minister said that the concept of equal pay also helped women achieve financial independence.