Was there a family gap in late nineteenth century manufacturing? Evidence from Sweden
(2012) In The History of the Family 17(1). p.31-50- Abstract
- While women today often face a substantial wage penalty for childbearing, we show that this was not always the case, making use of a rich material of matched employer-employee data covering the Swedish tobacco industry in 1898 in its entirety. Although working conditions were dire, and hours long, women working in the late nineteenth-century manufacturing industry faced no motherhood penalty. Compared to other women, mothers worked slightly less but earned higher (six per cent) hourly wages. Experience increased women's wages but firm tenure did not, and women were not penalized for career interruptions or changes of employer. The wage premium, however, occurred only among women working on piece rates, and not among women working for time... (More)
- While women today often face a substantial wage penalty for childbearing, we show that this was not always the case, making use of a rich material of matched employer-employee data covering the Swedish tobacco industry in 1898 in its entirety. Although working conditions were dire, and hours long, women working in the late nineteenth-century manufacturing industry faced no motherhood penalty. Compared to other women, mothers worked slightly less but earned higher (six per cent) hourly wages. Experience increased women's wages but firm tenure did not, and women were not penalized for career interruptions or changes of employer. The wage premium, however, occurred only among women working on piece rates, and not among women working for time rate wages. Apparently, it was related to effort; mothers on piece rates could increase their work effort in order to provide more income for their dependent children. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Abstract in Undetermined
While women today often face a substantial wage penalty for childbearing, we show that this was not always the case, making use of a rich material of matched employer-employee data covering the Swedish tobacco industry in 1898 in its entirety. Although working conditions were dire, and hours long, women working in the late nineteenth-century manufacturing industry faced no motherhood penalty. Compared to other women, mothers worked slightly less but earned higher (six per cent) hourly wages. Experience increased women's wages but firm tenure did not, and women were not penalized for career interruptions or changes of employer. The wage premium, however, occurred only among women working on piece... (More) - Abstract in Undetermined
While women today often face a substantial wage penalty for childbearing, we show that this was not always the case, making use of a rich material of matched employer-employee data covering the Swedish tobacco industry in 1898 in its entirety. Although working conditions were dire, and hours long, women working in the late nineteenth-century manufacturing industry faced no motherhood penalty. Compared to other women, mothers worked slightly less but earned higher (six per cent) hourly wages. Experience increased women's wages but firm tenure did not, and women were not penalized for career interruptions or changes of employer. The wage premium, however, occurred only among women working on piece rates, and not among women working for time rate wages. Apparently, it was related to effort; mothers on piece rates could increase their work effort in order to provide more income for their dependent children. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2426490
- author
- Stanfors, Maria LU and Burnette, Joyce LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2012
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- gender, earnings, labour market, motherhood, piece rates, family gap, late nineteenth century, women's wages
- in
- The History of the Family
- volume
- 17
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 31 - 50
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000303092000004
- scopus:84865821217
- ISSN
- 1873-5398
- DOI
- 10.1080/1081602X.2012.658147
- project
- Lön efter möda eller lön efter kön? Om betydelsen av produktivitet, konkurrens och kontrakt för lönediskriminering
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 57afcabd-91a3-4926-bf72-76d46a6e3089 (old id 2426490)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 11:13:28
- date last changed
- 2025-04-04 14:25:00
@article{57afcabd-91a3-4926-bf72-76d46a6e3089,
abstract = {{While women today often face a substantial wage penalty for childbearing, we show that this was not always the case, making use of a rich material of matched employer-employee data covering the Swedish tobacco industry in 1898 in its entirety. Although working conditions were dire, and hours long, women working in the late nineteenth-century manufacturing industry faced no motherhood penalty. Compared to other women, mothers worked slightly less but earned higher (six per cent) hourly wages. Experience increased women's wages but firm tenure did not, and women were not penalized for career interruptions or changes of employer. The wage premium, however, occurred only among women working on piece rates, and not among women working for time rate wages. Apparently, it was related to effort; mothers on piece rates could increase their work effort in order to provide more income for their dependent children.}},
author = {{Stanfors, Maria and Burnette, Joyce}},
issn = {{1873-5398}},
keywords = {{gender; earnings; labour market; motherhood; piece rates; family gap; late nineteenth century; women's wages}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{31--50}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{The History of the Family}},
title = {{Was there a family gap in late nineteenth century manufacturing? Evidence from Sweden}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1081602X.2012.658147}},
doi = {{10.1080/1081602X.2012.658147}},
volume = {{17}},
year = {{2012}},
}