This year, women start “working for free” on Friday, November 4 at 9:10 a.m. Rejoice (it’s ironic), in 2021 it was a day earlier, November 3 at 9:22. This symbolic date and time was calculated by the Feminist Newsletter “The Glorious”, based on European statistics on the wage gap between women and men in France. This year, women earn on average 15.8% less than men, compared to 16.5% last year.
The activists, who are relaying the #4Novembre9h10 movement, have launched a petition to demand the implementation of three public policies aimed at promoting equal pay. In particular, they are asking for an increase in the salaries of the professions where women are the most numerous. “The jobs of care and education, very feminized, which have been crucial for the past three years for France are among the least valued jobs in terms of wages”, lament “Les Glorieuses” in a press release.
An evolution of maternity and paternity leave
These activists are also advocating for changes to maternity and paternity leave. “The idea would be to take inspiration from Swedish law, to offer leave to be shared between the two parents, with a minimum of days to be taken reserved for the father” and paid in an equivalent way, specifies economist Rebecca Amsellem, founder of the “Glorious”.
The activists also want to condition access to public contracts, obtaining subsidies and loans guaranteed by the State “on respect for equal pay”. A way to “ensure that the budget allocated by public funds does not accentuate inequalities”, they point out.