The co-leader of the Greens calls for more wage transparency and also sees a lot of catching up to do in professions in which many women work. A law on this could be introduced this year.
On today’s “Equal Pay Day”, the co-leader of the Greens, Ricarda Lang, called for more wage transparency in order to close the wage gap between men and women. “We have a wage gap of 18 percent and if you’re honest, that’s an injustice that cries out to heaven,” Lang said on the ntv program “Frühstart”.
That is why, among other things, the Pay Transparency Act must be reformed, which currently only applies to larger companies: “As a coalition, we have decided to tackle the Pay Transparency Act, so that there are also more information rights in smaller companies.” The “very large proportion of women in this country” work in companies with fewer than 200 employees, said Lang, adding: “They should also have a right to the principle: equal pay for work of equal value.” Asked about a timeline for the law, Lang said, “We’re working on it. I hope this year.”
As the second major topic, Lang named the professions that have a very high proportion of women but only relatively low wages: “We see that in home care, for example. The main thing there is to increase the collective agreement, especially on the Country, especially in the east. In the end, there is justice in this country only with good pay and equal wages,” said the Green leader.
“Raising taxes would be more honest”
With regard to the financing of basic child security – one of the many current points of contention in the traffic light coalition – Lang assumes that the current budget deliberations will already come to a conclusion, although the law is not scheduled to come into force until 2025.
“It’s clear to us that we have to talk about money now, because we need planning security,” said Lang, adding: “It’s not without reason that we’re already talking about it at the moment and the negotiations are going on in the government and they will come out of mine hope to come to a conclusion with this budget as well.” Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Monday that “the connection to the current budget deliberations is not mandatory in terms of fiscal policy”.
Asked whether it would not be more honest with the many projects of the traffic light coalition to increase taxes instead of getting more and more indebted, Lang said: “It would definitely be more honest. I think we have to talk about income. There is not the one set way for me.” This can be done through taxes, but also through the reduction of “environmentally harmful subsidies”, according to the Green Party leader.
