Pension provision

How women should prevent poverty in old age

Manuela Vollmann (left) and Katharina Wiesflecker criticize the fact that women are not paid for two thirds of the work they do.

(Bild: VLK/Serra)

State Social Welfare Minister Katharina Wiesflecker calls for a division of care work. But politics is also needed.

The financial situation of female employees in Vorarlberg does not generally look too rosy - and this is unlikely to change in the coming years. "Half of all women work part-time. The figure for men is just nine percent. This means that women receive significantly lower pensions - on average only half as much," says Katharina Wiesflecker, State Councillor for Social Affairs, explaining the current situation. At present, almost a quarter of women over the age of 60 do not even have their own pension, making the female sex dependent on their partner.

The 2004 pension reform for women has had a very positive effect on women's pensions. "It helped them a lot that the best 15 years of employment were taken into account." However, now that the calculation is gradually being extended to 45 years, interrupted employment and part-time work are having a negative impact again.

Typical female jobs are paid less. A florist earns less than an apprentice in the metal industry

Katharina Wiesflecker, Soziallandesrätin (Grüne)

Bild: Mathis Fotografie

"The fact is that care work - i.e. childcare or caring for relatives - is usually done by women," says Wiesflecker. The bottom line is that men are paid for two thirds of their working hours. "Women, on the other hand, do two thirds of their work unpaid. Only a third of the work they do is paid. And this is also reflected in pensions."

Motherhood pay gap has consequences in old age
Manuela Vollmann, Managing Director of ABZ Austria in Vorarlberg, points out the disadvantages that women with children in particular would face in old age. "We are talking about a motherhood pay gap here. Mothers generally have a longer break from work and usually work part-time after parental leave," explains Vollmann. It is important that women and their partners think about tomorrow today and make appropriate provisions for pensions.

Wiesflecker also believes that politics has a role to play. One key is still a good childcare offer. In addition, employment and care work should be shared. "Men can also take parental leave or apply for care leave." Last but not least, consideration should be given to the differences in pay between sectors. Even during their apprenticeship, young people in female professions are paid significantly less. "A florist, for example, earns significantly less than an apprentice working in the metal industry."