The wage gap between male and female managers has widened in the last five years, according to a study released today by Representatives John D. Dingell (D-MI) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY). Calling the results, “nothing but a wake-up call for corporate America,” Maloney called for further hearings on the status of women in the workplace, and both Maloney and Dingell expressed support for a constitutional amendment guaranteeing equal rights for women. Both also urged U.S. ratification of the United Nations’ Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to ensure greater protections.
The report, “A New Look Through the Glass Ceiling: Where are the Women?” is based on General Accounting Office data and analyzes the status of women in ten major industries, including Communications, Finances, Insurance and Real Estate, Business and Repair Services, and Professional Medical Services. The key findings show that in seven of these ten industries, the earnings gap increased during the economic boom between 1995 and 2000 and is undeniable evidence that the glass ceiling continues to be a major obstacle for women.
Women still earn less than their male counterparts in all ten industries studied but the most shocking results revealed that women managers’ wages have actually declined since 1995. In the Entertainment and Recreation Services industry, for example, women earned $.83 for every $1.00 earned by a man in 1995 and in 2000, female full-time managers’ salaries decreased to $.62 for every $1.00 earned by a full-time male manager.
