Why are women paid less?

I spent 40 years in the metals business, the last 15 in distribution of aluminum, stainless, and carbon products. I worked with a young woman, who was working on her MBA, at Company expense, to assist me with a study in about 1995 on the "Glass Ceiling". I gave her the authoring "kudos" and gave the talk to the LA Women in Metals group, including about 40% men/managers.
We concluded that it was not possible for a woman to "have it all". Not even the most successful womem had it all, even though some think they do. We also concluded that both men and women managers discriminate against women in pay and promotions. We also found that women tend to leave the work force to have family and "get behind" the men who do not have to take said leave. In my business, we made certain that when a woman returned from establishing a family, we got her caught up as soon as she got caught up with the business again...sometimes months later, sometimes a year or so, but when she delivered she was rewarded accordingly. We also found that women did not tend to assume profit responsibilities, like General Manager, but preferred human resources, or inside sales careers forever, so they were not likely to be paid the same for different career paths.They should be paid the same for the same job, if the performance is equal. In fact, we had women making more than men at the same job, as they were more proficient. We concluded also that women need to be pushy on the subject of salary, and did not tend to be that way. There is plenty of information on the Internet, and networking, that let's women know what they should be receiving salary wise...shame on them for not pushing for Principle, if they know, and do nothing. If unhappy with any situation, there are three choices: live with it, change it, or leave it.
I have delivered our paper/speech to several women's groups. It was well received, mostly several years ago, as it includes what to do to break the "Ceiling". If anyone would like to hear same, I work cheap...for expenses, do not fly first class, and am located in the Midwest....I might also be willing to make the paper available, but it is not digitized yet, to the point that I would just e mail it.....and I am twice retired, still working, and do not know where I could fit "publishing" into my workday. My e mail is eareyn@aol.com for the "curious".

Women make up half of the population and half of the work force. That means they have half of the "good jobs." Yet, men are expected to fill the "provider" roll.

Add to that, the preference shown to females in the education system (from elementary school to college admissions) and it is easy to see that the deck is actually stacked against the American MALE.

"Parity" is all women should hope for, yet they have more and STILL aren't happy.

I can tell you why females make less money! Because they deserve to! To start with, after reading every one of the female posts all you do is constantly badmouth men, are tootin your own freak'n horns "constantly" about how great you are and men are stupid, you're all vain beyond belief (how many times a day are men looking in the mirror) you have zero humility, and sadly enough, none of you, at least those on this board know how to spell properly and the posts on this board prove it!

Its like the one (male) poster said. You are your own worst enemy and you need to come down of your high horses because you already have most of us men by the tails anyway. We spend large percentages of our $$$ on YOU! Also, its not men holding out on sex, but women do so brazenly and knowingly use and manipulate men because of it! So what! So you don't make dime for dime in every job out there! Big Deal Oh poor baby! Wahhhhh!!!!!

Maybe we should go back to putting you ladies back where you belong. Back in the home doing what you do best! Raising our children, nurturing them and making love to your man. Then men can do what they do best, Work for one! Then maybe more men could provide and protect, and support their families without having to listen to women bitching. Then, that way, you wonderful ladies could spend more time shopping, yacking it up while b_tching about us even more!

There is NO SATISFYING women today because they never get enough and are never happy with what they got!

I had almost 8 years with GE when I became redundant, and lost my pension. GE's reason was you had to have 10 years to be eligible for a pension. Many of my friends received pensions after 5 years of service.
But GE was only a multi billion dollar company that had to pay their empty suits at the top with money stolen from the pockets of hard working GE employees.
May God have mercy on their souls, including the big jack.

Because women accept less. If I were told the comment in post #1-- and didn't fight back-- it would be proof I wasn't worth more. As a sales trainer-- people make exactly what they feel they are worth. You can't motivate someone beyond their internal number. I have been in sales all my life-- and women and men are paid the same. You are paid on performance. Women- -quit blaming men or the system. Just get out and do it.

Well, you figured it out. It's a conspiracy of men to hold women down. Now that you're onto us, I guess we'll have to pay more.

A comment was made that men get more money because they take care of the woman financially. This is 2007. Statistics say that in this country the single woman with children is 51% of the population. Who takes care of them? Not the deadbeat dads please.

General Electric has been riping off employees and former employees for decades. I had almost 8 years when I became redundant for the Federal Government contractor, and did NOT qualify for a pension because I needed 10 years to qualify for a GE pension. So today I have NO pension, but the little guy doesn't matter to GE as long as jack welsh, etc. get the millions, and millions for being empty suits.
I devested my GE stock immediately and NEVER bought their stock or products since then.
If there is a hell it must be filled with GE corporate management devils.

Well these guys are idiots the best employees that I ever had were woman much smarter and more supportive in my business and it was hard and filthy work.I use to be a full service recycler and it was I that shut it down and now cater to commerical accounts only and more online as a broker consulting service now.Now i'll tell you why .every man that work for men did not care about equipment or their jobs it was just a place to stay for their paycheck on friday they could come up with more excuses then any woman would even try to get out of work . Yes I pay the ladys more not because they were females but because they earn it.I base the pay on abilities and skill meaning to apply ones self and my hat is off to you ladys .Do not accept less when you know you are better equal rights and equal pay stand proud

I would really like to know if anyone arguing any statistic, regardless of gender, on this board looked at the actual findings of the studies. I would assume most people probably watched CNN, or read their newspaper article or even lower, read just a blog. I will almost guarantee that CNN did not disclose all of the details of the study, as they almost never do, and in that case most news stations never do. I have assumed a lot about people, but arguing point to point without actually looking at the facts or reading the actual story from a scholarly peer reviewed journal, makes only the proponent of any point without evidence seem like an idiot.