The Male/Female Wage Gap

[Ree]

I fail to see solid proof of that.

Would you like to see my pay stub?

I was already married and had one child before I started working at this job, so I haven't taken any maternity leave.
I have now been with the same employer for 23 years.

I work damned hard.
I am good at my job.
In fact, at times, I am indispensable.

I happen to know that there are men employed at the same place for less time than I, who are making a higher wage, and their job has no more responsibility than mine, and is not any more challenging or heavy than mine.

I also know how much the women under my supervision make per hour.
They all just got a raise a month ago.
Two years ago, when I was supervising a different department, a young man was hired.
I know what he was making per hour.
When the owner found out that this young man had 2 children, he raised his wages to what my girls just received as an hourly wage a month ago.

[elsporko]

Are the men in your example in the same position then you? If not then you can't compare jobs to them even if you work just as hard.

Your other example is less a male female wage issue then a person with a kid issue. The boss didn't raise his wage because he found out the employee had a penis.

What is the boss's reasoning for the wage differances. Is education and work experience a factor? Maybe the guys just ask for pay increases more often.

[Ree]

Are the men in your example in the same position then you?

No. They aren't supervisors, nor have they been employed as long as I. I did state that, I believe. Perhaps you missed it.

Your other example is less a male female wage issue then a person with a kid issue.

Ah...so the women with children have men to support them and therefore their wage should be less? Is that what you're saying? If so, then I echo what Kimmik said:

Dude the '50's called they want their thought train back.

What about the single mother who works in my department?
She has two children as well. It never occurred to my employer that she was raising two children on her own.
Nope...my employer actually said to me, "I didn't realize he had two children. I have to look at his wages. I can't be paying him minimum if he has children to feed."

What is the boss's reasoning for the wage differances.

To be honest, I've never asked. That's always the way it's been every place I have worked, though. The men have always started at above minimum, while the women start at minimum.

Is education and work experience a factor?

Again, did you miss the part where I said I had worked there 23 years?
I also had almost 10 years of retail experience when I was originally hired.

Maybe the guys just ask for pay increases more often.

I highly doubt it.
You're implying that every single guy asks for a raise while the women don't bother? Not a very likely scenario.

My employer is actually very good at giving regular raises. The only problem is, the men tend to get a higher starting rate to begin with, and will get a 50 cent raise, while the women tend to start at minimum and get about a 25 cent raise.

[elsporko]

No. They aren't supervisors, nor have they been employed as long as I. I did state that, I believe. Perhaps you missed it.

But are they doing the same thing as you? If they are in a differant department or doing a differant job they are probably on a differant pay scale.

What about the single mother who works in my department?
She has two children as well. It never occurred to my employer that she was raising two children on her own.
Nope...my employer actually said to me, "I didn't realize he had two children. I have to look at his wages. I can't be paying him minimum if he has children to feed."

Does he know she is a single mother? The employer didn't know other guy was a single father after all. Maybe the pay would be differant if he knew.

To be honest, I've never asked. That's always the way it's been every place I have worked, though. The men have always started at above minimum, while the women start at minimum.

Every job I've had the women and men are paid the same.

Again, did you miss the part where I said I had worked there 23 years?
I also had almost 10 years of retail experience when I was originally hired.

In many jobs there are different factors that go into starting pay. It could be a case where having education gets you more, relevant education gets you even more, relevant work experience gets you more. It can also be a case where the employer really wants a worker with a certain skill set and offers him more then somebody without those skills

[Ree]

But are they doing the same thing as you? If they are in a differant department or doing a differant job they are probably on a differant pay scale.

That's irrelevant where I work, as we are supposed to go by the Employment Standards Act which states:

The Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) provides that women and men must receive equal pay when:

1. doing substantially the same kind of work
2. requiring the same skill, effort and responsibility
3. performed under similar working conditions in the same establishment.

According to the ESA, a woman can't be paid less than a man if she is doing "equal work." This also applies in reverse -- a man can't receive less pay than a woman if he is doing "equal work."

I haven't bothered to make a complaint against my employer for what I see as a violation of that because it just isn't worth the grief.
I am only pointing it out to refute your claim that you have never seen concrete proof of wage disparity based on gender.

Does he know she is a single mother?

Yes.
My employer gets to know all of his employees and their family situation.
He still pays women less.

Every job I've had the women and men are paid the same.

How fortunate for you.
That does not mean, however, that the situation is the same in every single working environment.

Just because that has been your personal experience it does not actually make for a valid argument against what others are claiming, as you have done.
Simply because you have not personally experienced the situation, that does not mean it doesn't exist.