In Europe, More Men Losing Jobs Than Women

Who Countries EUROPE: In Europe, More Men Losing Jobs Than Women

A European Union study has found that men are losing jobs at a faster rate than women due to the recession’s effect on male-dominated industries such as construction and manufacturing. Five million jobs were lost from 2008 to 2010, and four million of those were held by men.

“It has nothing to do with women; there’s nothing feminist or unfeminist about it … It’s entirely a question of the industrial composition of the [individual national] economy.”— Catherine Hakim of the Center for Policy Studies

As mid-paying, traditionally male industries have contracted, professional positions in sectors dominated by women (e.g. health, education) have expanded.

Most employment growth in the top quintile of European Union countries is going to women
The majority of female job losses are mid- and low-paying jobs

“Both men and women lost jobs in net terms, but in terms of ‘top jobs,’ better paid and professional positions, there was job growth overall and women got the lion’s share of them.” — John Hurley, co author of the EU report

U.S. MEN ALSO LOSING MORE JOBS THAN WOMEN

70% of U.S. jobs lost from December 2007 to June 2009 belonged to men
Statistics for this September show 8.8% of adult men unemployed and 8.1% of adult women unemployed