Equal Pension Day: Women in Austria receive almost 40 percent less pension than men

The Arbeiterkammer therefore demands concrete political measures: better working conditions, legal reforms and a comprehensive expansion of childcare to combat the causes of the pension gap.

Structural causes of the gap

The data also show that the gap is not merely a statistical average, but directly affects the retirement income of many women. Those who contribute less, work part-time or interrupt their careers for care work build up fewer entitlements – with consequences into old age.

Internationally, the size of the pension gap is also used as an indicator for equality in the labour market. Austria's high figure reflects, according to the Arbeiterkammer, the unequal distribution of paid and unpaid work.

International comparison and reform debate

The trade unions and social partners see politics called upon to incorporate the life-course perspective more strongly into pension calculations. A better crediting of childcare and care periods has also been discussed for years.

For those affected, the gap means concretely less money in everyday life in old age, often supplemented by compensatory allowance. Experts point out that the gap is unlikely to shrink without reforms.

The Arbeiterkammer wants to use the Equal Pension Day to reignite the debate about the causes and possible countermeasures. Discussions about mandatory childcare, fair working hours and livelihood-securing jobs are at the centre of this.

Overall, this year's Equal Pension Day shows that the structural inequality between the genders in pension levels in Austria remains an urgent socio-political issue. Without tangible reforms, the Arbeiterkammer says, the gap will hardly change by 2030.