Which Job?

[El Cid]

Gender is fluid these days and people can choose any job, so surely employers can pay whatever they want for any job, gender is irrelevant.

 

Workers from Asda have held demonstrations to mark the start of an equal pay claim involving more than 60,000 staff.

The GMB union said the supermarket chain's predominantly female retail workforce is paid up to £3.74 an hour less than the mainly male staff in warehouse roles.

Staff held a protest in Manchester earlier, where the case has been brought before an employment tribunal, to call for pay parity.

Asda said it respected the right of staff to bring the case but "strongly rejects" claims that pay rates are influenced by gender.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93pzxwvl1xo

 

[cressida]

Different types of jobs mean different rates of pay,  more energy is required for those who have to use muscle power which may require lifting,  moving

heavy fixtures/fittings,  lighting etc.  most of the women have sedentary jobs.

[Pyrotequila]

4 minutes ago, cressida said:

Different types of jobs mean different rates of pay,  more energy is required for those who have to use muscle power which may require lifting,  moving

heavy fixtures/fittings,  lighting etc.  most of the women have sedentary jobs.

 

Totally this.

There are a multitude of different roles in a warehouse, it's not just a generic "warehouse worker" with a flat rate of pay.

Goods in, forklift driver, paperwork admin, HR... all "warehouse" jobs, but with vastly different pay rates.
Someone sat typing in to a spreadsheet shouldnt be paid the same as someone who is a licensed forklift driver.

[cressida]

Other than a supermarket,  there are women who use brain power when there is a lot of responsibiity.

[crisispoint]

People who work in supermarkets, work, maybe the men in the warehouse should come and fill the potatoes up or onions on produce it will help them build the muscle 💪 for their oh so heavy jobs, there seems to be some kind of misapprehension about women working in supermarkets, that they're all seated automatons that don't have to think for themselves and need someone telling them what to do, that they are incapable of making decisions in the best interests of the business, thinking on their feet.

I think some people need to reevaluate their opinions if women workers.

[cressida]

There are women who do the accounts,  women assistants in the clothing departments and ones who do shelf filling.

[Anna B]

1 hour ago, cressida said:

Different types of jobs mean different rates of pay,  more energy is required for those who have to use muscle power which may require lifting,  moving

heavy fixtures/fittings,  lighting etc.  most of the women have sedentary jobs.

Sedentary they may be, but that doesn't mean their role is any less important to the company. Women's work is still  consistently undervalued for all sorts of reasons. Not least in the home. If they come face to face with the public that also puts them at a certain amount of risk.

In spite of years of 'equality' IMO women are still at a disadvantage in the workplace.

 

Taking time out for pregnancy, child care issues and elder care (which still seem to be seen as mainly female concern) means they may be  less likely to be considered for promotions etc. and female pay is still generally lower than men's ( 80% of the average male wage I believe.) Yes of course there are exceptions, and yes there is legislation in place to cover such issues, but still they persist. There's more than one way to kill a cat...

 

I remember when I was teaching attending a lecture on equality and treating children without any gender bias. someone asked pointedly what the position was regarding male/female headteachers. The lecturer sheepishly admitted that in spite of there being fewer male teachers than female, men made up the majority of headships....

The same was probably true in many other walks of life.

 

i do hope that position has changed somewhat, but I doubt it...

[Al Bundy]

But they are two different jobs!!

 

If women get paid less in general then why don't employers just employ women?

[cressida]

2 minutes ago, Al Bundy said:

But they are two different jobs!!

 

If women get paid less in general then why don't employers just employ women?

They can't do the heavy stuff,  unless some are trans gender (?)

[Al Bundy]

2 hours ago, cressida said:

They can't do the heavy stuff,  unless some are trans gender 

Like warehouse work, probably why it's better paid.