Meeting this Thursday, August 29 in Valais, the seven French-speaking State Councilors in charge of equality took the decision to increase intercantonal collaboration in the area of the fight against wage inequalities.
The elected officials met for the first time in 2023. © DR
The seven French-speaking state councillors in charge of equality met in Sion on Thursday 29 August. The canton of Fribourg was represented by Philippe Demierre, head of the health and social affairs department. The elected representatives signed a joint declaration which “reaffirms their commitment to equal pay and the State’s duty to set an example”, announced the French-speaking conference of Equality Offices in a press release.
They also defined avenues of action aimed at increasing collaboration between the French-speaking offices or departments responsible for equality. These bodies will be responsible, in particular, for proposing a project aimed at pooling their resources in terms of monitoring inequalities in the public sector.
Labor market: Wage discrimination slips through the cracks
A collaboration between equality offices and cantonal human resources departments is also on the agenda. Finally, they will be responsible for proposing additional measures promoting equal pay in both the public and private sectors. The State Councillors recalled that in Switzerland, women continue to earn on average 18% less than men. A new meeting is planned for 2025.
