Female equality ombudsman gets lower pay
Sweden's new Equal Opportunities Ombudsman, who is a woman, is to receive a considerably lower salary than her predecessor, who is a man.
In fact, Anne-Marie Bergström's annual wage falls some 17 percent short of the pay package awarded to Claes Borgström for the same job.
Equality Minister Nyamko Sabuni has so far refused to comment on her decision to approve Bergström's new wage agreement, TV4 reports.
When Bergström took over as acting ombudsman on August 16th, Sabuni praised her as being fearless, outgoing and well-qualified for the job.
But while Claes Borgström earned 74,900 kronor a month, Anne-Marie Bergström will have to content herself with 62,000 kronor.
One of the ombudsman's main tasks is to actively encourage employers to give equal pay to employees who perform the same tasks, regardless of gender or ethnicity.
"If this principle is broken, and gender and ethnicity do come into play, it is a basic breach of human rights and it is discrimination," Claes Borgström told TV4.
"I think my successor should have started on a higher salary than she did," he added.
Bergström has been appointed as acting ombudsman until the government goes ahead with its plans combine the offices of four discrimination ombudsmen into a single agency, a move that is expected to take place next year.
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In fact, Anne-Marie Bergström's annual wage falls some 17 percent short of the pay package awarded to Claes Borgström for the same job.
Equality Minister Nyamko Sabuni has so far refused to comment on her decision to approve Bergström's new wage agreement, TV4 reports.
When Bergström took over as acting ombudsman on August 16th, Sabuni praised her as being fearless, outgoing and well-qualified for the job.
But while Claes Borgström earned 74,900 kronor a month, Anne-Marie Bergström will have to content herself with 62,000 kronor.
One of the ombudsman's main tasks is to actively encourage employers to give equal pay to employees who perform the same tasks, regardless of gender or ethnicity.
"If this principle is broken, and gender and ethnicity do come into play, it is a basic breach of human rights and it is discrimination," Claes Borgström told TV4.
"I think my successor should have started on a higher salary than she did," he added.
Bergström has been appointed as acting ombudsman until the government goes ahead with its plans combine the offices of four discrimination ombudsmen into a single agency, a move that is expected to take place next year.
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