SPD politicians have accused the Union party of attempting to block the implementation of the EU directive concerning pay transparency. Carmen Wegge, a member of the Bundestag and chair of the SPD Women’s party, told the publication “Der Spiegel” that pay transparency should viewed not as a bureaucratic hurdle, but as an essential tool for achieving justice, fair career advancement opportunities, and equal pay in the country. She described the Union’s blockage as an affront to millions of women.
Wegge added that critics who brand the directive as a “bureaucratic monster” should also acknowledge that concrete, streamlined implementation proposals already exist. She warned that if the resistance continues, the party would effectively accept that women in Germany continue to receive lower wages, receive smaller pensions later in life, and face a higher risk of old-age poverty.
Jasmina Hostert, the SPD parliamentary group’s spokesperson on women’s issues, also demanded quick implementation. Hostert told “Der Spiegel” that the legislative draft needed to be put “on the table now” so that the parliamentary procedure could begin swiftly. She expressed concern that the directive was not being implemented within the required deadlines. According to Hostert, this policy represents a genuine chance to make the labor market fairer and to minimize the wage gap between men and women.
