It may be fifty years before the women and men are paid the same for the same job, says a new report. If they are paid differently, it's called a gender pay gap and there is much talk of it.
The pay gap is due to many different things, such as differences in education, differences in the job men and women choose to do, differences in the types of positions (boss or not boss, for example) held by men and women, differences in amount of work experience, and breaks in employment (like staying home with a child). These factors explain 60% to 75% of the pay gap. But then there is the remaining 25% to 40%. Many ideas exist host this last bit could be explained, for example that women would be less willing to work, or that they are not so good at negotiating salaries. Or, and that is the crucial one, it is due to prejudice: the idea that women would not be as good as men. According to the European Commission, this kind of prejudice against women only explains a small part of gender salary differences.
circa 1909: A young woman with freckles on her face works at her station in a cigar factory.
Do you want this to end? or not?
How long do you want this to carry on for?
Do you think this is fair for people?If not make your voice heard.
Why aren't you protesting about your thoughts?
What are you going to do about it?
Why are you staying in your homes doing nothing?
WHY?
In the UK, the gender pay gap has continued to get smaller. In 2012, the gap officially dropped below 10% for full-time workers. The gender pay gap has also closed more and more over the last century, as new generations have grown up. Women between 55–65 suffer the largest difference (18%) whereas females between the ages of 25–35 only have to put up with a 6% difference.
According to economist Alan Manning of the London School of Economics, the process of closing the gender pay gap has slowed down, and women could earn less than men for the next 150 years because of prejudice and ineffective government policies. A 2011 study in the UK revealed that if pay growth continues for female executives at current rates, the gap for "bosses" would not be closed until 2109. Women Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are paid 16% lower on average than male CFOs.
There is still a lot of disagreement about the pay gap, and in particular if the government and businesses should do something about it or not, for example make laws. It is already illegal to pay a woman less for the same job, but it is difficult to check.