The Gender Wage Gap

A Comparison of Australia and Canada

Bibliographic Data

ID3215054
AuthorsMichael P Kidd (0000-0001-6906-625X), Michael Shannon
Year1996
Volume49
Issue4
Pages729-746
Publication date1996-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueIndustrial and Labor Relations Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0019-7939 • E-ISSN: 2162-271X
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/001979399604900409
OpenAlexW1570429668
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited17

Using data from the 1989 Canadian Labour Market Activity Survey and, for Australia, the 1989-90 Income Distribution Survey, the authors investigate the reasons for the significantly lower gender wage gap in Australia than in Canada. Key similarities and differences between these two countries, the authors argue, make them a good basis for a "natural experiment" to investigate the effects of different labor market institutions. In particular, Australia has a stronger union movement and a greater degree of centralization in wage determination than Canada, and most of its workers are covered by legally binding minimum working conditions. The authors conclude that several differences between the countries in labor market structure-notably, a lower rate of return to education, a lower rate of return to labor market experience, and a lower level of wage inequality in Australia than in Canada-are largely responsible for the smaller gender wage gap in Australia

Demographic economics · Distribution (mathematics) · Economics · Efficiency wage · Gender pay gap · Inequality · Labour economics · Survey data collection · Wage · Wage Inequality · Employment and Welfare Studies · Labor market dynamics and wage inequality · Labor Movements and Unions

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