Men more likely to get their desired pay raise than women

Men are more likely to get a wage increase if they ask for it than women, trade union CNV found in a study among over 3,300 of its members. 56 percent of men got a pay raise after asking for one, compared to 42 percent of women, ANP reports.

After a good assessment, men were twice as likely to get a pay raise as women, the union found. Employers also made extra remuneration agreements, outside the collective bargaining agreement, with men three times as often as with women.

CNV chairman Piet Fortain was flabbergasted by these findings. "Certainly at a time when women are now more educated than men," he said. The pay gap between men and women is still significant. And the problem is often unjustly blamed on women, he said, with employers saying "they need to ask for it more often, be more assertive".

The union called on employees to be open about their own salary, so that pay gaps and discrepancies can be highlighted. "The taboo must be removed. If you earn demonstrably and inexplicably less than your colleague who does the same job, ask for a salary increase," Fortuin said.