Why do women get lower wages than men?

In most countries women get lower wages than men. In spite of some laws make for paying same wage for the same work by the man and woman. Women workers get less than men for equal works. The main reasons for wage differences are given below.

(i) Women are weaker than man .They can not undergo constant and painful work. They have got a very poor physical strength. That is why women are less efficient and get lower wage.

(ii) Women workers have got a very weak organization. Woman workers have no trade unions to put forth their grievances. Because of their weak organization they lack strong bargaining power.

(iii) Of men and women, women are not preferred to be given work because of their problem of maternity. During pregnancy they cannot work. This is a definite loss to the employer. In certain trades married women are not employed. Thus these biological factors compel a woman worker to get lower wage.

(iv) Women workers are immobile. They are not safe to visit distant places in search of employment. They do not show interest to work at a place for from their place of residence. In such an atmosphere they become satisfied at a low wage in the job near to their parents and kith and kings.

(v) Women do not work for the maintenance of their family. Most of the women work so long they are not married. They do not bother about wage. They work for comfort and luxury. A woman even after her marriage work to supplement her husband’s income. On the other hand a male worker works with determination and promise. He works because shoulders the responsibility of his family. This is why the women get less wage than the man.

(vi) Women worker prefer to work in a very limited occupations. When the supply of women laborer increases, the demand being constant, the wage will decline.

(vii) Women are looked upon as inferior to man. This belief is very ancient. This feeling is still in our society. Guided by this feeling people in every ages pay less to women even in the strenuous work. Thus the tradition of paying less wages has been continuing since ancient time.