Labour Market Institutions, Crisis and Gender Earnings Gap in Eastern Europe

This paper studies gender earnings inequality in ten Central and Eastern EU countries before (2007) and during the ongoing crisis (2009), using quantile regression methods. The analysis reveals remarkable cross-country diversity in levels and patterns of the gender gap along the earning distribution. We address then the role played by country-specific labour market institutions in forming this variety. Labour market deregulation increases gender inequality, particularly reinforcing the glass-ceiling effect. Higher union density and wage coordination reduce the pay gap, with stronger equalizing effects again in the better-paid jobs. Lastly, the crisis seems to further weaken the already poor role of institutions in the low-pay sector.