The ceiling and the glass cliff: the challenges for women in the labor market, with Mentxu Gutiérrez

In this episode of ODS5, Zona Franca Barcelona’s female talent podcast, we have the privilege of speaking with Mentxu Gutiérrez, Secretary of Equality Policies at the Comisiones Obreras union. Menchu ​​shares her perspective on gender equality, challenging the notion that it can truly exist within a patriarchal system that perpetuates inequalities from childhood.

During the talk, Gutiérrez highlights the main inequalities that women face in the labor market, from the wage gap to the lack of recognition in traditionally feminized sectors. She reflects on her own path to feminism, recognizing her late arrival to this movement and the importance of education and awareness in achieving effective cultural change.

Mentxu also addresses the concept of the “glass ceiling” and “glass cliff,” pointing out how women in leadership positions face more intense surveillance and scrutiny than their male colleagues. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the need for laws and resources that support gender equality and the importance of unions as agents of change in the fight for labor and social rights.

This episode is a powerful reminder that feminism and organized struggle are essential to moving towards a more equitable society, and that each of us has a role to play in this transformation.