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A national women’s strike takes place on 14^th June 2019. We are working as usual, since closing down the library down would also prevent many female students from studying. Nevertheless, we (female) librarians want to draw your attention to our professional situation: lower wages for women, part-time employment and difficulties in balancing work and family life also concern us. Despite a clear majority of female librarians, male directors manage most university libraries in Switzerland. Thus, we ask ourselves: When will female librarians be treated equally?

Wage gap

The gross monthly wages of women in the group of occupations 26 according to ISCO, which includes scientific librarians, are 10 % below those of men in the Canton of Zurich.¹ (To make things worse, wages at the University of Zurich are rather below the Swiss average² and have hardly risen lately.)

Part-time employment

59 % of employed women in Switzerland have a part-time job,³ in the Main Library the percentage is even 65 %. On the other hand, only 18 % of men in Switzerland and 43 % in the Main Library work part-time. Our library offers more part- than full-time employments.

Balancing work and family

In Switzerland, it is very hard to combine childcare responsibilities and employment without working part-time. However, part-time jobs and low wages in women’s occupations continue to have an effect into old age. Many female librarians will have to make do with modest pensions.

Underrepresentation in management positions

62 % of employees in larger scientific libraries in Switzerland are women, 38 % are men.⁵ However, 8 of 12 university libraries are directed by men, including the Main Library⁶ and the Zentralbibliothek Zürich.⁷ Women are clearly underrepresented as library directors.

Further facts about gender (in-)equality at the University of Zurich in general can be found here.

#frauenstreik #frauenstreik19 #frauenstreik2019

Sources

1. Federal Statistical Office (2016). Gross monthly wage by groups of occupations, age and gender – Private and public sectors combined – Zurich (ZH). Swiss Earnings Structure Survey.
2. Bibliothek Information Schweiz (2018). Lohnumfrage 2018.
3. Federal Statistical Office (2019). On the way to gender equality.
4. Main Library. Locations & Opening Hours.
5. Laura Stadler (2012). Die Gläserne Decke in Schweizer Bibliotheken. Churer Schriften zur Informationswissenschaft, Schrift 53.
6. Main Library. Points of Contact: Management.
7. Zentralbibliothek Zürich. Ansprechpersonen.