TABLE 29 provides another perspective on the earnings of women relative to men. In this TABLE, relative earnings are shown in several sub-categories within two selected occupational categories where women's wages are particularly low. In each case, the earnings of women and men within each sub-category are expressed as a percentage of men's earnings across the entire category.

Of particular interest are the comparisons of the sub-categories in which women are traditionally employed (e.g., foods, textiles) with those in which men are more typically employed. As has been well documented, the female dominated sub-categories tend to be less well paid than the male-dominated sub-categories. As women gain equal employment status with men the value" of their jobs should increase to equal that of men's jobs within a single Category.

From 1970 to 1980, however, the value of women's work has slightly declined relative to that of men within at least some of the sub-categories.

• Women's earnings, relative to men's increased more from 1970 to 1980 in occupations where there are fewer women than in ones where they are better represented.
  
  
• In the various Processing areas where the numbers of women are larger, men's earnings relative to the average men's wage in the Category, fell between 1970 and 1980 (e.g., in processing chemicals and textiles).
  
  
• In fabricating and repairing areas, women's earnings increased somewhat in all areas (overall, from 51% of men's wage in 1970 to 57% of men's wage in 1980).
  
  
• In the same areas, men's earnings dropped in the two areas where women are employed in substantial numbers (i.e., textiles and rubber/plastic) to the level of earnings for other fabricating jobs.

TABLE 29

CHANGES IN "VALUE" OF WOMEN'S WORK
1970 - 1980

Earnings Relative to Average Men's Earnings in Category

Note: Not all sub-categories are shown for each major occupational category.

Source: Statistics Canada, 1971 and 1981 Censuses of Canada.