2.0    EDUCATION AND EQUALITY: THE PRESENT STATE AND ITS PROBABLE CONSEQUENCES

2.1 Women in the Canadian Economy

In the seventeen years since the publication of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women, there have been marginal changes in women's social and economic position in Canada. However, the major issues identified in the report remain (9). Although some barriers have been lowered through, for example, the inclusion of women in Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, others appear to be rising higher. Despite the advocacy efforts of feminists during the last two decades, the totality of women's work is neither visible nor fully valued. After an extensive analysis of women's position in the Canadian labour market, Pat Armstrong concluded:

(We live in) "a system dominated by the search for profit and reinvestment and characterized by a sexual division of labour that subordinates women to men and household to formal economy. This sexual division of labour reverberates throughout the entire political economy, with the result that changes in the formal economy, in government programs, in technology, in households, affect women and men differently. All economic and social policies, then are women's policies." (10)

Seven out of every ten people entering the Canadian labour market between 1976 and 1985 were women. By 1985,43% of the Canadian labour force was women. Sometime before the year 2000, it is expected that a full 50% of the labour force will be women. But equal numbers does not indicate equality. Women are concentrated in clerical, sales and service occupations (Tables 1). Jobs in those areas tend to be characterized by low pay, high turnover, vulnerability to technological change, low union penetration and relatively high incidences of involuntary* part-time work (see Chart 1). With respect to part-time work generally, women hold at least 7 out of every 10 part-time positions. Some seek part-time work in order to better accommodate domestic responsibilities, but an increasing number accept part-time work because they cannot find full-time jobs. Part-time work usually does not pay as well as full-time work, offers fewer benefits, and frequently confers low status. Part-time workers, for example, are frequently excluded from collective agreements. During periods of layoff or organizational restructuring, considerable effort may be made to assist or retrain full-time workers. Part-time workers receive no such consideration (11).

* 'Involuntary' part-time jobs are those held by people who would prefer to work full-time.


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