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Return to Gender: An Analysis of Women’s Disadvantage in Postal Work
Author(s) -
Jenkins Sarah,
Lucio Miguel Martinez,
Noon Mike
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
gender, work and organization
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.159
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1468-0432
pISSN - 0968-6673
DOI - 10.1111/1468-0432.00150
Subject(s) - disadvantage , workforce , work (physics) , locale (computer software) , position (finance) , power (physics) , gender studies , gender relations , demographic economics , political science , sociology , trade union , public relations , labour economics , business , law , economics , engineering , mechanical engineering , physics , finance , quantum mechanics , computer science , operating system
The workplace is a crucial locale for understanding three important issues in contemporary debates on gender and organizations; the processes by which work becomes gendered, the origins and nature of gender segregation and the role of trade unions in delivering gender equality. This article presents data from a study of workplace transformations in Royal Mail, and demonstrates the dynamic interplay of factors over time, which have sustained postal work in the UK as a gendered occupation and continues to disadvantage women in the workforce. The article shows that the position of women in postal work has been historically and contemporaneously linked to the relations between the trade union, management, male and female workers. The data illustrate that the power relations between the main actors have sustained the dynamic of women’s disadvantage. Furthermore, the processes that have sustained postal work as a gendered job continue to segregate men and women’s work at the level of the workplace.