Working Life Barometer in the Baltic Countries 2002 (pdf) - mol.fi

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sumed that the question of sector would explain the above gender gap. This is
not so, however, because a study of only the public-sector wage earners reveals
that even within that sector the women's possibilities for influence are
clearly greater than the men's 3 . Where private-sector employees are concerned,
the corresponding differences between the women and the men are much
smaller 4 . In comparison with the earlier study, both the men's and the women's
power of decision has increased; but in the women's case, the increase has
been much greater and more widespread.
When the responses from wage earners of different ages are examined, it is
seen that the possibilities of influencing job tasks increase with age in Lithuania.
Nevertheless, even in the youngest age group, nearly half thought that
they could influence their work content rather a lot or totally.
In Latvia, the changes in such powers of decision in recent years have been
very few. The proportion who feel able to influence their own job tasks totally
has decreased slightly; and correspondingly, the percentage having this possibility
only a little or none at all has grown. However, as has been said, the
changes are quite small.
In regard to this issue, working life in Latvia appears very equitable and democratic.
About half of the men and also of the women can influence their
work content rather a lot or totally. Neither are there any great differences
between the public- and private-sector employees in this respect. Half of the
wage earners of all ages have possibilities of influencing their tasks rather a lot
or totally. Age, however, brings with it a little more autonomy, since the oldest
age group contained the greatest proportion of those with total influence over
the content of their work.
3 Of the women in the public sector, 32 % felt that their possibilities for influence on their job tasks
were extremely good, and just as many (32 %) rather good. The corresponding proportions for the
public-sector men were 26 % and 28 %, so that the differences were noticeable.
4 Among the female private-sector wage earners, 21 % considered their influence opportunities
extremely good, and 20 % rather good. The corresponding figures for the men were 17 % and 23 %.