Addressing the gender pay gap: Government and social partner actions - The Netherlands

The issue of equal pay and the problem of the gender pay gap has been on the agenda of the social partners and the government for many years. Government and social partners have taken action to tackle this form of discrimination. They have encouraged research into sectors and offered instruments and guidance to companies and parties in collective bargaining. The union federation FNV has been one of the leading actors in the process. In more recent years, government and employer organisations have endorsed its efforts. While the gap has become smaller, the goal of the government to reduce the gap still further by 2% in 2011 is viewed as realistic by the social partners.