Trade Unions Develop Roadmap To Tackle Gender Inequality

Trade union representatives from across Europe have met in Brussels to develop practical solutions to gender inequality in the commerce sector. The discussions focused on fair pay, secure employment, predictable working hours, workplace safety and equal access to training and career opportunities.

Women make up the majority of Europe's commerce workforce, yet they continue to face significant inequalities in pay, working conditions and career progression. New research presented through UNI Europa's I'M Pinc project highlights the need for stronger trade union action to address these longstanding challenges.

On 22–23 September 2026, trade union representatives gathered at UNI Europa in Brussels for a workshop to exchange experiences, examine successful initiatives and test a draft five-year roadmap aimed at improving equality in the sector.

Women form the majority of the workforce but face persistent inequality

According to research carried out as part of the project, women account for approximately 63% of retail employees in Europe and between 55% and 60% of workers across retail and wholesale combined.

Despite their significant contribution to the sector, women remain disproportionately represented in lower-paid, part-time and customer-facing positions. Men, meanwhile, are more likely to occupy higher-paid technical and managerial roles.

The research identifies several structural factors contributing to inequality, including insecure employment, unpredictable working hours, unequal caring responsibilities, limited career opportunities and the undervaluation of work traditionally performed by women.

Gender-based violence and harassment, inadequate childcare provision and insufficient enforcement of equality legislation further compound these challenges.

Six priorities for stronger trade union action

The workshop examined six principal drivers of gender inequality, presented by researcher Séverine Picard of Progressive Policies.

These included the gender pay gap, insecure and non-standard employment, the unequal distribution of caring responsibilities, workplace violence and harassment, and the impact of digitalisation and the green transition.

Participants also emphasised that women from migrant backgrounds and other groups experiencing discrimination can face additional barriers. They agreed that these overlapping forms of inequality should be addressed across all areas of trade union action.

Building on the research, participants discussed six strategic objectives:

1. Promoting standard employment contracts and predictable working hours.

2. Strengthening pay transparency and ensuring fair, gender-neutral pay structures.

3. Integrating health and safety into the organisation of work.

4. Supporting a more equal distribution of paid work and caring responsibilities.

5. Ensuring that digital transformation takes account of gender equality.

6. Improving access to training and creating genuine career opportunities for women.

A draft five-year roadmap outlines how trade unions could work towards these objectives through workplace representation, evidence-gathering, communication, training for negotiators and collective bargaining.

Collective bargaining can make a difference

An important part of the workshop was the exchange of practical experiences from different European countries.

Participants discussed how collective agreements and trade union initiatives can improve working conditions, particularly for women in lower-paid and less secure employment.

Examples included additional pay for weekend work in France, more predictable working schedules in Belgium, negotiated workplace policies at Inditex and flexible working arrangements for employees with caring responsibilities in Spain.

The discussions also highlighted the potential importance of the EU Pay Transparency Directive in addressing unjustified pay differences between women and men.

These examples demonstrate how trade unions can use collective bargaining to achieve practical improvements in workers' everyday lives.

Digitalisation must not deepen existing inequalities

The second day of the workshop focused on the digital and green transitions and their potential consequences for women working in commerce.

Automation and new technologies are transforming retail and wholesale operations. Cashier positions and other frontline jobs, many of which are predominantly held by women, are particularly exposed to technological change.

At the same time, emerging jobs requiring digital and technical skills may disproportionately benefit men unless deliberate measures are taken to ensure equal access to training and career development.

Participants stressed that workers must have a meaningful voice in decisions about technological change.

They also discussed proposals for a European Just Transition Directive, including the right to paid training during working hours.

Particular attention was given to the difficulties faced by part-time workers in accessing training. Caring responsibilities, irregular schedules and financial barriers can prevent workers from acquiring the skills needed to adapt to changing jobs.

Trade unions therefore called for better skills mapping to identify not only which jobs are likely to change, but also which groups of workers will be affected and who will benefit from new employment opportunities.

A common European approach to equality

The workshop formed part of UNI Europa's I'M Pinc project, an EU co-funded initiative aimed at improving working conditions in commerce through a gender perspective.

The project seeks to strengthen the evidence available to trade unions and develop practical tools to address inequalities through collective bargaining, workplace representation and social dialogue.

The recommendations and draft five-year roadmap will now be revised in preparation for the project's final conference in Brussels on 18 November 2026.

The message emerging from the workshop is clear: gender equality in commerce will not be achieved through technological progress or economic growth alone. It requires deliberate action to ensure fair pay, secure employment, safe workplaces and equal opportunities for all workers.

Trade unions have a central role to play in making that change happen.

Further information: I'M Pinc – Improving Working Conditions through a Gender Perspective in Commerce.