The long-standing EU acquis of equal pay between male and female workers still proves to be a source of inspiration in the fight against discrimination, even in matters beyond the EU’s competence. This article deals with differences in status between blue- and white-collar workers, which have been haunting many Member States even as technological progress erodes its justification. Although this ground was never protected by EU law, a case study of the Belgian unified status with regard to occupational pensions (the second pension pillar), clearly shows the impact of the jurisprudence of the CJEU. In line with this EU case law, there is no requirement to grant the most beneficial pension scheme to all employees, which could lead to equal, but nevertheless very modest occupational pensions. Based on the preliminary results, we can predict that the Belgian unified status will have a positive effect on the number of blue- and white-collar workers affiliated to a pension scheme. It is, however, unlikely that the high level of benefits of the most generous pension schemes will be retained after harmonisation, considering the financial impact on the employer. It is therefore to be expected that the unified status will indeed lead to equal occupational pension schemes between blue- and white-collar workers, but fail to act as a lever to improve the quality of the second pension pillar in Belgium.

长期的欧盟收购男女工人同工同酬仍然被证明是打击歧视的灵感来源，即使在超出欧盟权限的问题上也是如此。本文涉及蓝领工人和白领工人之间的地位差异，尽管技术进步削弱了其合理性，但这种差异一直困扰着许多成员国。尽管这一理由从未受到欧盟法律的保护，但比利时在职业养老金（第二个养老金支柱）方面的统一地位的案例研究清楚地表明了 CJEU 判例的影响。根据该欧盟判例法，没有要求向所有员工提供最有利的养老金计划，这可能会导致平等但非常适中的职业养老金。根据初步结果，我们可以预测，比利时的统一地位将对加入养老金计划的蓝领和白领工人的数量产生积极影响。然而，考虑到对雇主的财务影响，在协调后不太可能保留最慷慨的养老金计划的高水平福利。因此，可以预期，统一地位确实会导致蓝领和白领之间的职业养老金计划平等，但无法成为提高比利时第二个养老金支柱质量的杠杆。考虑对雇主的财务影响。因此，可以预期，统一地位确实会导致蓝领和白领之间的职业养老金计划平等，但无法成为提高比利时第二个养老金支柱质量的杠杆。考虑对雇主的财务影响。因此，可以预期，统一地位确实会导致蓝领和白领之间的职业养老金计划平等，但无法成为提高比利时第二个养老金支柱质量的杠杆。