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In East Germany, the proportion of women in sectors with collective wages is relatively high
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More than 30 years after reunification, there are still large differences in wages between East and West – also in relation to gender: Statistically speaking, women with full-time jobs earn more in East than men and in West it is exactly the opposite, according to the Federal Employment Agency (BA) announced on Saturday.
On the occasion of the upcoming Day of German Unity, the authority published data on the so-called median wages: half of the employees earn more than this value, the other half is below it.
"Overall, the median wages in eastern Germany are still well below those in the west," the BA explained.
"The general trend is that the differences are diminishing, albeit slowly."
According to the latest available figures, the average salary for full-time employees subject to social security contributions in East Germany is 3007 euros.
At 3060 euros, women earn an average of 82 euros more than men (2978 euros).
“However, the higher median of women working full-time is restricted by the high proportion of women working part-time throughout Germany,” emphasized the BA – almost half of eastern German women work part-time.
In the West, on the other hand, full-time employed men are in the lead when it comes to median wages – and very clearly so: they earn an average of EUR 3,787, EUR 461 more than women.
"The different median wages for men and women in the two large parts of the country go back to the respective industry structures," explained the BA.
In the old federal states there are many more large companies “in male-dominated sectors with corresponding wage structures”.
The authority cited the manufacturing sector as an example.
In contrast, in East Germany the proportion of women in sectors with standard wages is relatively high, for example in public administration or the health care system.
sak/AFP
