Feminization of Labor
During the feminization of labor, the northern and southern economies began to see a steady increase in women in the workforce. However, their opportunities become stricken due to being in "low wage categories and accompanied by increases in part-time and other non-standard forms of work" (Kongar 2008). With the ongoing process of deindustrialization, shifting away from the manufacturing sector and toward the service sector, it saw a sizeable decline in the wage gap from the 1970's to the late 1990's. Some of the results of deindustrialization included a larger decline in men's earnings due to growth of service sector employment, an increase in demand for women due to the growth of female service sector, and the losses of high paying blue collar jobs for men.
Trends
In the 1980's, there were many factors that lead to a decreasing gender gap between women and men. Women's average earnings increased about 9 percentage points from 59.7 percent in 1979 to 68.7 percent in 1989 as compared to men. Some factors for this decrease include women's experience levels upon entering the workforce. Another factor includes women entering into higher paying occupations. Important factors also include deindustrialization, deunionization, and cut backs in men's jobs. Lastly, education and experience levels have played a key factor in the decline in the gender gap during this period. Some research concluded that of the slowdown in the wage gap is due to some of the factors that contributed to the slowdown in the 1990s, including "occupational upgrading for women, deunionization, decline in gender discrimination, and relative demand shifts that favored women" (Kongar 2008).
Kongar 2008
During the feminization of labor, the northern and southern economies began to see a steady increase in women in the workforce. However, their opportunities become stricken due to being in "low wage categories and accompanied by increases in part-time and other non-standard forms of work" (Kongar 2008). With the ongoing process of deindustrialization, shifting away from the manufacturing sector and toward the service sector, it saw a sizeable decline in the wage gap from the 1970's to the late 1990's. Some of the results of deindustrialization included a larger decline in men's earnings due to growth of service sector employment, an increase in demand for women due to the growth of female service sector, and the losses of high paying blue collar jobs for men.
Trends
In the 1980's, there were many factors that lead to a decreasing gender gap between women and men. Women's average earnings increased about 9 percentage points from 59.7 percent in 1979 to 68.7 percent in 1989 as compared to men. Some factors for this decrease include women's experience levels upon entering the workforce. Another factor includes women entering into higher paying occupations. Important factors also include deindustrialization, deunionization, and cut backs in men's jobs. Lastly, education and experience levels have played a key factor in the decline in the gender gap during this period. Some research concluded that of the slowdown in the wage gap is due to some of the factors that contributed to the slowdown in the 1990s, including "occupational upgrading for women, deunionization, decline in gender discrimination, and relative demand shifts that favored women" (Kongar 2008).
Kongar 2008