Worker attitudes toward pay equity : job, union and women's equality factors

Abstract

This study examined workers' attitudes toward Pay Equity in relation to their perspective on job-related issues and union-related issues as well as their attitudes toward women in the work world.

The Attitude Toward Pay Equity scale (ATPE), scale revealed interesting information on the relations of workers' views of Pay Equity and their attitudes regarding their job, their Union and women's equality. As predicted, ATPE were positively related to wage equity and job satisfaction. The workers' views of Union service and their commitment to their Union were also related to Pay Equity attitudes. Both the workers' attitudes toward women in the workplace and their views on equality were related to ATPE. Only the workers' perceptions of equality in the workplace and their perceptions of Union involvement in Pay Equity with the moderating effects of sex and age were significant predictors of ATPE in the exploratory regression analysis.

Single-item questions assessed the consequences of Pay Equity implementation and the results were encouraging in terms of the workers' reactions. Very few workers reported negative implementation effects on their jobs, their place of work or the views of the women's movement. Analyses also revealed that Pay Equity raises were associated with increased support for Pay Equity, increased job satisfaction, increased awareness of women's equality issues and changes in Union perceptions.

The positive effects of Pay Equity, including the increased earnings, seem to outweigh the negative. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)