Why do we consider some work as less valuable than others?

Older female workers in caring roles are more likely to be low paid — that has to change, argues Pat O'Connor

The lowest paid workers are more likely to be in health, caring, or admin roles — and more likely to be female.

Ireland has a high proportion of low-paid workers, the third highest in the EU. A recent report found that one in five of such low-paid workers is an older worker, ie over the age of 50.

These workers are particularly likely to be in health, caring, or in administrative roles. Older women are more likely than older men to be in these jobs. They are often seen as being “naturally” suited to the work and earn 5.5% less than their male counterparts.

Motherhood is seen as a significant driver of such low-paid employment. Mothers often take jobs which are part-time, local and convenient because they enable them to continue to do disproportionate amounts of the unpaid work involved in caring for children and the household.

Women are five times more likely than men to leave paid work because of such caring responsibilities. Thus, they are less likely to have a work-related pension and so are more likely to need to supplement their income. Frequently, the only jobs available to them are low-paid ones.

Women are often penalised for taking time out of the workplace to raise young children — by finding it increasingly tough to get back into well-paid work.

The situation of lone parents, who are overwhelmingly women, is particularly fraught, caught as they are between the competing obligations of motherhood and paid work.

Those who are currently in these low-paid jobs have lower levels of education. With rising educational levels, particularly among women, those in such low paid jobs may be better educated in the future.

But because of their unpaid work in the home, women may still be unable to hold down well-paid jobs even if they have the educational qualifications.

Trapped in a low-pay cycle

Once the children are grown up it is often impossible for them to get back into such jobs, and so they may become trapped in a cycle of low-paid work.

Explanations that pay reflects employees’ educational level are problematic, since although women overall are more highly educated than men, overall, they are paid less than men, with a gender pay gap of over 14% in favour of men.

The report shows that the financial impact of low pay among older workers is reduced at present since they are more likely to own their house, with more than half having no mortgage.

High levels of rent and increased life expectancy (84 years for women versus 80 years for men) is likely to exacerbate that situation in the future. They may need to continue working in such jobs for longer and, even then, may be unable to meet high rents.

The experiences of older workers in warehouses for Amazon in the US who end up living in their cars or camper vans are chilling reminders of where we could be headed.

Older workers also penalised

Older workers make up almost 30% of the labour force now and it is expected that this will increase. In the recent report, they had been in these low-paid jobs on average for seven years (from a range of seven months to 27 years). Many of them see work as a means of social inclusion but it is not clear why the price of that inclusion should be low pay.

It is often assumed that pay reflects the social importance of the job done. However, at the height of the Covid pandemic it was very clear that the most essential workers were in the caring area. This area has a high proportion of low paid and older women.

Wages are also often seen as reflecting market forces. So a shortage of particular kinds of employees is seen as leading to increased pay.

The HSE has highlighted a shortage of nurses, midwives, and healthcare assistants — all predominantly female areas of employment.

This was part of the justification for paying the secretary general in the Department of Health €292,000 per annum.

The HSE has consistently highlighted serious shortages of nurses, midwives, healthcare support assistants, creche workers, all predominantly female areas of employment.

It is not clear why the market-driven solution to increase wages or other benefits in response to shortages in these female dominated caring areas is never considered.

In general, the jobs where men predominate are more valued and are paid more than those where women are the majority.

So, within nine months of graduation, the highest earners are those in Information Technology (average salary €45,197 pa), followed by Engineering, Manufacturing and Construction (just under €42,761 pa). These are important areas, but are they more important than the predominantly female Health and Welfare area graduates whose average salary is €38,728?

In most of these predominantly female areas (such as nursing, midwifery, healthcare support assistants, creche workers), the pay even after 10-15 years’ experience will not reach the starting salary paid to these (predominantly male) IT graduates.

The recent report on low pay among older workers implicitly raises fundamental questions about the kinds of work we think are of less value than other kinds of work — and about the characteristics of the people who do that work.

Perhaps it is time to think about the basis on which jobs are defined as low paid, both for those under and over 50 years?

Pat O’Connor is professor emeritus sociology and social policy at the University of Limerick and visiting professor at the Geary Institute, UCD