The Gender Gap

A lively discussion is underway about why women are paid less and why the top jobs are held by men in more than 70% of the cases. A recent PR Week Salary survey talked about the salary differentials and lack of women in top posts. This has spawned a series of articles and comments where one reporter quoted Judy in a story and Judy responded.

Archives: 3/06

---

April 20, 2006 [Martha Burk]

[JUDY]

The gender gap means women are paid less and fewer reach top corporate positions in our field. I have been writing to senior female executives in communications asking for comments, strictly anonymously. I have had informal conversations about how hard it is to work for senior women, in some cases, due to micromanaging. I had a VP communications talk to the head of her department who suggested she resign rather than rejoin the department after a medical leave when she would disrupt the head count and he “could not figure out where to put her.” None of these remarks was ever put in writing and there have very few comments sent to me for posting. Martha Burk, a famous author and expert on the subject of gender discrimination had these comments about why women are not personally confronting these issues…..

As an advocate that has taken on corporate sex discrimination, I find in industry after industry women don't want to comment for fear of being drummed out.  The problem persists from Wal-Mart to Wall Street. Women know if they even comment, much less complain, they will be branded as a bitcher or whiner, or worse, a troublemaker that should be gotten rid of.  As for the pay gap in PR, there's no doubt that women are seen as lesser or not "long distance runners" by the men in charge, regardless of how these men may act outwardly.  Companies need to do honest internal audits of their pay scales by gender, to see if they have a problem -- and then fix it.

Thanks.

Martha Burk, Ph.D.

Author

Cult of Power: Sex Discrimination in Corporate America and What Can Be Done About It

Director, Corporate Accountability Project, National Council of Women's Organizations

1050 17th St NW, STE 250

Washington, DC 20036

202-293-4505

www.womensorganizations.org

TOP