Wage differences between women and men in the Finnish metal industry

The Labour Institute for Economic Research has published a study by Senior Researcher Juhana Vartiainen, Lic.Sc. (Econ.), titled “Wage Differences Between Women and Men in the Finnish Metal Industry.” The study was funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund (Työsuojelurahasto).

The study analyses the causes of the gender wage gap using wage data from Finnish metal industry employees for the period 1990–1995. It is based on a sample drawn from the wage statistics of the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers. The metal industry was chosen as the research context because high-quality wage statistics were available for it.

The gender wage gap in the metal industry is approximately one-fifth, or about 18 percentage points, and it has not changed significantly over time. In the metal industry, the gender wage gap is of a similar magnitude as in the rest of the national economy.

The study aims to identify the sources of this wage differential. Although it focuses only on hourly-paid employees in the metal industry, the results also provide broader insight into the differing labour market positions of women and men in general. (AI translation)

• ISSN: 1236-7176
• ISBN: 952-5071-18-9
• Press Release in Finnish