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Extraordinary Women
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Women working at the Elosegi beret factory.

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Source (DFG) Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa
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Norms and labor regulations

The history of labor regulations in Gipuzkoa, from the point of view of women’s rights, reflects a gradual evolution towards equality, although with persistent challenges. In 1900, the Law on Workplace Accidents was approved, which included women workers, although with limitations. The Law on the Chair of 1912 required the provision of seats for female workers in shops and warehouses.

During the Second Republic (1931-1936), legal equality between men and women in the workplace was established legally, dismissal due to marriage was prohibited, and a compulsory maternity insurance was introduced. During the Franco regime (1939-1975), there was a setback in women’s labor rights. The 1938 Labor Charter sought to “liberate married women from the workshop and the factory.” In 1961, the Law on Political, Professional, and Labor Rights of Women was passed, which eliminated some discrimination, although it maintained others. In the transition to democracy, the 1978 Constitution established equality before the law without discrimination based on sex. In 1980, the Workers’ Statute prohibited discrimination in labor relations.

More recently, in 2007, the Organic Law for the Effective Equality of Women and Men was passed, which seeks to eliminate discrimination in all areas, including the workplace. Emakunde, the Basque Women’s Institute, has played a crucial role in promoting labor equality since its creation in 1988. Despite these advances, challenges such as the wage gap and occupational segregation persist. In 2019, the wage gap in the Basque Country was 21.2%, although it has decreased in recent years.

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