The wage gap between men and women is minimal at BKV, and in some categories the values ​​for women are even more favourable than those for male employees – as shown by the data for 2024. This year also, BKV joined Amnesty International Hungary’s campaign, aiming to eliminate the gender pay gap.

Joining Amnesty International Hungary’s “One Step Closer” campaign, BKV prepared and published data on wages for the fifth time this year, in accordance with the methodology of the civil organization. Based on the international calculation methods used by Amnesty, the data for 2024 demonstrate that the wage gap between men and women is minimal at BKV, and in some segments the values ​​for women are even slightly more favourable: for example, the average hourly wage of female employees is 8 percent higher than that of men. It can also be considered positive that while 19.4 percent of BKV employees are women, the proportion of women in the upper salary category is much higher, at 30.6 percent.

Values ​​calculated based on the British methodology (“+” values ​​indicate a more favourable value for men, “-” values ​​indicate a more favourable value for women):
1. Average hourly wage difference between men and women: -8%
2. Median hourly wage difference between men and women: -7.2%
3. Ratio of women to men receiving bonuses: Men: 72.3%, Women: 72.2%
4. Average bonus difference: -2.1%
5. Median bonus difference: +16.6%
6. Ratio of men to women in pay quartiles:

Top quartile: Men 69.4% - Women: 30.6%
Upper middle quartile: Men 80.6% - Women: 19.4%
Lower middle quartile: Men 91.2% - Women: 8.8%
Lower quartile: Men 81.4% - Women: 18.6%

The figures bear out that – contrary to negative domestic and international trends – BKV has achieved significant results in the area of ​​equal pay. The company introduced the transparent and consistent job and wage tariff system based on the so-called HAY system in 2018, which enabled all employees – regardless of gender – to achieve a predictable and marketable wage.

On the vehicles of Budapest public transport, the first position to be opened for women was the conductor post 110 years ago, when they took over the work of men fighting on the fronts. They first served on the underground railway and then on trams. Women began working as drivers later, after World War II. They were first found in the driving position of trams, then behind the wheel of trolleybuses. BKV has employed female railcar drivers in the Budapest metro since its inception, starting in 1970, and their current proportion is also the highest among drivers (31.6%). Women have been working as bus drivers at BKV since 1979.

However, women are not only present at the company as drivers; almost every fifth BKV employee in the entire workforce is a woman. They perform office work, for example, as HR administrators, vehicle and infrastructure engineers, IT specialists or lawyers. Many women also work at tram terminals as tabulator operators or in the main dispatching group. Dispatchers – who assist metro, tram and bus drivers at depots or at terminal stations – are also predominantly female, as is the case with employees of the Lost and Found Department.

BKV Zrt.