Promoting women's employment in rail

There are many good arguments to promote the employment of women in the rail sector:

• It is a matter of equal opportunities.
• The presence of more women at traditionally male-dominated workplaces often improves working conditions for both women and men.
• Women bring talent to companies that should not be ignored in particular in times of demographic change.
• An active equality policy increases the attractiveness of rail companies as employers.

The average share of women in the railway sector in Europe is about 20 %. This level is largely stagnant, with a slight increase since 2013, when the Social Partners in the rail sector (CER and ETF) decided to start publishing an annual report on the development of women’s employment in rail.

A better integration and participation of women in the rail sector is a priority for the ETF. The European Social Dialogue Committee (SSDC) for the railways is an important instrument to promote women’s employment in rail together with CER, our social partner on the employers’ side.

ETF and CER have carried out joint studies (Women in Rail – WIR), signed joint recommendations, published a good practice and implementation guide as well as annual reports on the development of women’s employment.

At a Social Dialogue plenary meeting in November 2018, we decided to enter into negotiations for an autonomous European agreement on women in rail. In November 2021, both parties signed the Women in Rail autonomous agreement aimed at promoting employment of women in the sector.

Our work on women’s employment in rail can be viewed below and the WiR Agreement – available in 24 languages – is available at your right.