Are women working harder for nothing?

I read an eye-opening article in the Globe and Mail today. Journalist Leah McLaren argues that despite some “good news” for women this week (“…the salaries of recent female business graduates narrowly exceeded those of their male counterparts for the first time. .. the Shriver Report found that half the American work force is now composed of women.”) it’s not all sunshine and lollypops.

In fact, argues McLaren, it’s a lot worse than that. I recommend that you click here and read the entire article, but here’s a small taste:

Despite working harder and in greater numbers than ever before, women are still earning less than men in the same jobs over all and taking most of the responsibility for housework and child care.

In essence, the plight of women is like that old morale-boosting management trick: the no-compensation promotion (also known as the non-raise raise). It’s all very flattering until you realize that you have just taken on twice as much work and responsibility for no extra pay or respect.

It’s a raw deal. And here’s another bitter pill: Working harder than men is not going to help us renegotiate the terms.