Women's Employment in Europe

One of the most profound changes in European societies in recent decades is the increased involvement of women in waged work. This feminisation of employment is associated both with the re-structuring of the labour market and the transformation of family life towards dual-earner households. This book examines these far-reaching changes in all fifteen member states of the European Union over the last decade, and explores progress towards gender equality. The authors reveal significant national differences in women's position according to each of the four major dimensions to gender equality: care and wage work, occupational segregation, pay and working time. Finally, the authors consider women's future prospects in a context in which equal opportunities has been identified as one of the pillars of Europe's new employment policy. Women will be a key source of labour in the new millenium, and their position now and in the future should be fundamental to policy making. The book is a comprehensive, up-to-date key text in the fields of economics, gender studies, policy making and European Studies.