Although the GPG is near 0 on average, women in finance and insurance are paid less than their male counterparts. Photo: Shutterstock

Although the GPG is near 0 on average, women in finance and insurance are paid less than their male counterparts. Photo: Shutterstock

The grand duchy has the smallest gender pay gap (GPG) in the European Union, but a report by the national statistics bureau shows that a large discrepancy remains in some professions.

Over the last twenty years, the overall GPG in Luxembourg has decreased to reach a near zero percent value in 2021, compared to the EU average of 13%. However, as a report published by Stated ahead of Labour Day shows that gender-based professional segregation persists in the country.

While the total economy reports a gap of 0.3% (in favour of men), the industry and trade service sectors tend to be more beneficial for men (9.7%). The widest gap was noticed in the finance and insurance sector (23.2%), followed by real estate (22.7%), scientific and technical specialised work (21.7%) and other services (19.5%).

Men in 2021 also tended to receive higher wages in information and communication jobs (12,6%), teaching (3.5%) and transports (2.9%). And although gender plays no role in public servant job pays--the GPG is non-existent there--women tended to earn more in water production and distribution jobs (-3.3%), the construction sector (-13.9%), and the arts and entertainment sectors (-16.8%).

Cross-border workers, work satisfaction and collective labour agreements

The Statec survey also revealed that 212,000 (46%) of all workers in Luxembourg hailed from across the border, with half coming from France, while 49,500 Belgians and 50,000 Germans commuted to the grand duchy every day. The study also showed that the number of employees working from home had overall increased since march 2020, and though there was a slight dip in the Q3 of 2021, the omicron wave at the end of December caused more people to work remotely.

86% of those surveyed also said they were satisfied with their job, though this decreased when employees worked overtime or had long working days. On average 53% of workers in the country were also covered by a labour syndicate, according to Statec, though numbers varied strongly across sectors, with 100% of public servants being covered, while only 3% of those active in the real estate sector were members of a union.