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International Worker\u2019s Day, celebrated on May 1st, originates from the laborstruggles of the late 19th century, particularly the Chicago protests of 1886, where workers demanded better working conditions and an eight-hour workday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although often associated with the general labor movement, this day is also deeply linked to the participation of women who, from the beginning, were on the front lines of these struggles, facing not only labor exploitation but also gender inequality. Over time, women played a crucial role in securing rights such as fairer wages, maternity protection, and equality in access to work, making Workers’ Day also a symbol of female resistance and emancipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than a century later, and despite legislative and educational progress, the pressing question remains: have we effectively achieved gender equality?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n In sports, the answer is clear. The wage gap between men and women is not just significant; in many disciplines, it is abysmal, revealing a structural inequality that continues to compromise the recognition of female talent. Many consequences of this disparity have a direct impact on athletes. Most cannot live exclusively from their sport, being forced to balance their careers with other professional activities. This reality eventually drives women away from sports, thereby compromising the valuation of women\u2019s football.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, there are sports where parity has already been achieved, such as tennis and surfing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the case of football, however, wage inequalities are still very relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the evident growth of women\u2019s football, men\u2019s competitions continue to concentrate the majority of support\u2014reinforcing the thesis that the market has not corrected this discrepancy, nor do effective regulatory mechanisms yet exist for this purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CNN reported that players in the 2023 Women\u2019s World Cup received, on average, only 25 cents for every dollar paid to men in the previous World Cup; in 2019, that ratio was even worse: less than eight cents per dollar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paradoxically, the 2023 Women\u2019s World Cup saw historic numbers: approximately 1.37 million fans attended the stadiums and nearly 2 billion people followed online. <\/strong>These figures highlight a significant growth in interest, contradicting the argument that lower pay is justified by a lack of market demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n In Portugal, the Portuguese Football Federation<\/a> has implemented several measures to promote women\u2019s football, though without a direct impact on wage equality. In 2024, Bill No. 26\/XVI\/1.\u00aa was presented to the Assembly of the Republic, which provided for the equalization of salaries and compensation between athletes representing the women\u2019s and men\u2019s national teams, although it was rejected in Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently, the minimum remuneration for footballers in national competitions is regulated by the Collective Labor Agreement (CCT) between the Portuguese Professional Football League and the Professional Football Players’ Union (SJPF<\/a>). However, female players are not covered by this diploma, allowing clubs the freedom to create atypical contractual figures, effectively bypassing minimum labor protection guarantees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2023, the SJPF<\/a> presented a collective agreement exclusively dedicated to Women\u2019s football in Portugal. It included minimum wages for the 1st Women\u2019s Division, protection during pregnancy and maternity, and childcare support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, to this day, no agreement has been reached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From a legal perspective, the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic (Article 13) expressly states that all citizens have the same rights regardless of gender. The Labor Code (Article 23 et seq.) advocates for wage non-discrimination. Nevertheless, practice does not reflect what both diplomas defend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Parity Law (Law No. 23\/2024) established the proportion of each sex in the composition of governing bodies of sports federations and the professional league. Currently, female representation cannot be lower than 33.33%. While this does not deal directly with wages, it is a relevant step toward placing women in leadership positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, UN<\/a> High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker T\u00fcrk criticized nations and clubs last year for the persistence of “economic violence” against women in sports. He also negatively judged the under-representation of women in the leadership of professional clubs and federations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this context, the need for legislative intervention raises a relevant question: shouldn\u2019t this inclusion result naturally from a society guided by principles of equality and merit?<\/strong> It appears that society does not ensure effective equality, thus resorting to legislative intervention as a mechanism to correct structural imbalances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Portugal and the world are still far from the ideal where men and women are properly equated in terms of pay and opportunity. It makes perfect sense to use the symbolism of Workers\u2019 Day to reinforce the deconstruction of the cultural and structural barriers so prevalent in various countries. A change that goes beyond economic measures is essential to allow for a natural equality of genders. Only then will it be possible to build a fairer and truly inclusive sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Miguel Santos Pereira | msantospereira@rosarioduarte.pt<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn the world of sports, inequality prevails<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tennis and Surf are exceptions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The wage gap in Football<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
National Outlook – Bill Rejected<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Beyond Economics: A Necessary Structural Change<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n