In South Africa, especially in the union sectors, there is gender different in work place. There are also wage differences, which have a huge impact on the union member and workers. Moreover, the gender differences have impact on having different earnings. Other on the unions distribution of salary shows that different gender have a lower income comparing to the non –union sector (Casale & Posel, 2008).
As a result, tit is evident that there is a big gap between men and women salary for those working in the union sector as compared to other employers of the non-union sector (Casale & Posel, 2008). The estimating result that shows of this gap different between men and women in wages is due to the fact that there are internal problems within the organization, which affects the employee’s behaviors and ability to negotiate for higher positions and wages (Casale & Posel, 2008).
Union and nonunion employees enjoy job security, although union employees have more tenure eventually and have informational gain as compared to the nonunion workers. The collective bargaining power of union workers however, may be associated with differences in wages along gender lines.
Besides, there is a form of contract employment where terms and conditions are stated explicitly while non-union worker enjoys extensive employment opportunities since they can terminate their work at will. Moreover, union workers make payments such as union dues, which cannot be negotiated.
These differences in working conditions are associated with gender disparity in wage earning in various union and nonunion organizations. However, in the past, Unions have been associated with higher wages and for lessening gender disparity in the workplace. Unionized employees enjoy higher earnings than nonunion workers.
All the same, the average earning of females is lower than that of males in both the union and non-union employees. This difference in earning is attributed to the occupations that mare awarded to both genders traditionally. For instance, women are employed in the sales and service sector while men are in the professional managerial positions, thus a notable difference in earning for both genders.
Women also have lower negotiation power and tend to be satisfied with the positions they have, as compared to men who tireless pursue higher ranks in the workforce (Card et al., 2004). In the Us, Canada and UK, this difference started in the 1980s and continued in 1990s, for union and non-union workers (Card et al., 2004)
Therefore, there is a need to ask the question as to why women have a lower salary in different countries in the union and the non-union sectors. The reason behind that is very clear; it is women, who don’t know how to ask or even negotiate for their salary. Besides, inside the organization, women don’t cultivate higher knowledge to find ways to achieve organizational change.
In some cases, some women appears contented with the positions they have, and may feel so comfortable that they forget to ask for better and higher ones, which comes with higher wages. On the other hand, men have always wanted the best for their salary and therefore pursue higher positions by all means. Since the society is moving towards gender equality in the work culture there is a need for female employees to become aware of their rights through engaging in negotiations, which would eventually be reflected in their earnings (Babcock & Laschever, 2007).
References
Babcock, L., & Laschever, S. (2007). Women Don’t Ask: Negotiation And The Gender Divide. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Card, E. D., et al. (2004). Seeking a Premier Economy: The Economic Effects Of British Economic Reforms, 1980-2000. London: University of Chicago Press.
Casale, D., & Posel, D., (2008).‘Who Replies In Brackets And What Are The Implications For Earnings Estimates: An Analysis Of Earnings Data From South Africa’. Economic Research Southern Africa.