Susan60 on Nostr: Yes. That’s because men’s work is valued differently to “women’s” work. ...

Yes. That’s because men’s work is valued differently to “women’s” work. Work that is directly linked to profit is more highly paid than work seen as “caring”, with the exception of doctors, still a male dominated profession. (So naturally it must be more important & deserving of higher pay.” It’s not the social value of labour that is recognised & paid accordingly, but the direct economic value. Teaching is valued more highly when it involves older students & less “ caring”. Swapping from “childcare” to “early childhood education” is one way of justifying pay increases for workers, because childcare as such isn’t valued.

“Equal pay for equal work” doesn’t work when the value of some work isn’t recognised. Obviously some occupations require more & more expensive qualifications, or are more demanding or risky, & should be paid accordingly. But even the ways we determine these things is biased. Working with children is demanding, challenging & exhausting, as all parents, teachers & anyone else who works with children knows, but because it’s “natural” for women to work with children (????)….