Post on 28-Mar-2015
Working women:How things have
changed
Dr Rose Ryan
The 1950’s
Life in 1951: Quick Facts About Women
23% of university students
8% of married women in paid work
25% of women in the labour force
3 elected members of Parliament
Our most common occupation was clerical work
Waterfront dispute union protest, Wellington 1951
The 1970’s…
Life in 1971: Quick Facts About Women 33% of tertiary
education students 26% of married
women in the full time labour force
39% of women overall in the labour force
4 elected members of Parliament
Our most common occupation was clerical work
Women earned 69% of men’s average OT hourly earnings
Air hostesses model new NEC uniforms in the 1970s
…and now
55% of tertiary education students
61% of women in the labour force
40 woman members of Parliament
Our most common occupation is service and sales work.
New Zealand Now: Quick Facts
…but some things never change!
What has changed for New Zealand Women?
1991 1996 2001 20060
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
MäoriPacific PeoplesAsianMiddle Eastern/Latin American/African(5)
Our population is increasingly diverse
Source: Statistics New Zealand
New Zealand women:o have less children and have them later in
lifeo are oldero are healthier than we have ever beeno are increasingly the head of one parent
householdo are more educatedo spend more of our working lives in the
labour force than in the past
Our lives and our households are changing
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
Men 2006Women 2006
We have increasing rates of participation in higher education
15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 15-640
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
195119712001
Our labour force participation rate has grown
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
$0
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
$25,000
$30,000
$35,000
MenWomen
The gender pay gap:Average income 1 year post study
Average income 5 years post study
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002$0
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
$25,000
$30,000
$35,000
$40,000
$45,000
MenWomen
Trends in numbers employed in male dominated industries
2000 2002 2004 20060
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Agriculture, forestry and fish-ingManufacturing
Trends in numbers employed in female dominated industries
2000 2002 2004 20060
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
EducationHealth and community services
10 most common occupations for women in 1891 and 20011891 Domestic servant Nurse School teacher Shop Assistant Washer woman Hotel/restaurant servant Dress maker Sewing machinist / tailor Farmer
2001 Caregiver Registered nurse Primary school
teacher Sales assistant Cleaner Retail manager Secretary Accounts clerk General clerk
0–1
9
20–2
9
30–3
9
40
41–4
4
45–4
9
50–5
9
60+
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
Men NumberWomen Number
Usual hours worked per week
Casua
l wor
ker
Fixe
d-te
rm a
nd te
mp
agen
cy
Perm
anen
t em
ploy
ee
Empl
oyer
Self-
empl
oyed
0
20
40
60
80
MenWomen
Type of employment in main job (%)
We have less annual leave than men
0.0
200.0
400.0
600.0
MenWomen
<1 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
% employed full-time% employed part-time
Our labour force engagement is affected by having children
0
100
200
300
Menwomen
Unpaid workAverage minutes per day spent on primary activities (Source: Ministry of Women’s Affairs Time Use Survey 1999)
Equal Pay Act Maternity leave introduced Sexual harassment prohibited Human Rights Act Paid parental leave Health and Safety in Employment Act Employment Relations Act Four weeks annual leave Minimum wage rises Flexible working hours legislation
The changing policy environment
“At work, Dad will operate on a 24 hour week. The office will be air-conditioned with stimulating scents and extra oxygen - to give a physical and psychological lift.”
Looking into the future(Weekend Magazine (1961) - a prediction of working life in the year 2000)
A growing resource divide? Changing attitudes to work? The global consequences of climate change
on the labour market? The interface between personal health and
work? Changing nature of households Kiwis returning home? Market economy vs a market society?
Emerging issues
Thank you
Dr Rose Ryanroser@athenaresearch.co.nz