“This is a defeat for not only our members but also the association
as a whole, but most of all it is a defeat for equality. I wonder
whether anybody can now be accused of wage discrimination,” says
Christin Johansson, President of Akademikerförbundet SSR, the union
responsible for pursuing the case.
Ten female social advisors work at the County Administrative Board
in Malmö. A few years ago, two men were recruited to positions
equivalent to those held by the existing women employees. Both men
received significantly higher salaries than the women, even though all
social advisors carried out the same work. The women saw this as
unlawful gender discrimination and, supported by their union, took the
case to the Swedish Labour Court.
In its defence, the County Administrative Board stated that they
wanted to take on advisors that had experience of municipal service and
were therefore forced to adapt the salaries awarded to the two men to
be in line with the higher wage level that exists in the
municipality.
The Labour Court pronounced in favour of the County Administrative
Board. Market forces created the salary differences between the newly
appointed men and incumbent women employees.
“The extensive professional experience of our members counted for
very little when weighed against the two men’s experience of municipal
social services. This case has set a precedent and made it far too easy
for employers now to blame market forces for setting men’s salaries
higher than those of women,” says Christin Johansson.
