'Women suffer more from capitalist exploitation:' March 8 strike presented

International Women's Day actions will once again include a feminist strike on March 8 to call for women's rights.

The stoppage was presented on Wednesday by the organizing trade unions Solidaritat Obrera, CGT Catalunya, COS and IAC, which invited "all workers, and especially women" to stop all activities for 24 hours, not only at work, but also when it comes to shopping, caring and studying.

According to them, women "suffer capitalist exploitation more intensely for the mere reason of being women."

The group of trade unions, which have come together with a platform called Taula Sindical de Catalunya, believe that female workers have fewer opportunities to grow in their careers and receive less pay for the same work.

Women in Catalonia earned €500 less than men per month in 2019, and that year the gender pay gap was 20.6% according to data published by Catalonia's Labor and Production Model Observatory in February 2022.

The unions also say that women have more problems accessing company boards and leadership positions, and they also suffer from hidden discrimination when applying for jobs.

Talking to the press, they also showed solidarity with those workers "who will not be able to go on strike" next Wednesday.

Groups Kellys Catalunya, representing women who clean hotel rooms and other similar works, and the Sindillar home carers union are also joining the protest.

In the past few years, feminist strikes with significant backing have taken place in Catalonia alongside major demonstrations, especially in Barcelona. In the Catalan capital, rally attendance peaked before the pandemic, in 2019, with over 200,000 people taking to the streets.