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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

'He-cession' hits mens' jobs harder

Women only account for one in five positions cut

By: Vito Pilieci

11/04/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

OTTAWA -- More than four out of five jobs that have been lost in Canada since October 2008 have been jobs held by men, according to the newest data from Statistics Canada.

The trend, in which men represent more than 81 per cent of the 357,000 jobs lost over the past six months, is prompting some to refer to this economic downturn as a "he-cession."

Statistics Canada said another 61,300 Canadians lost their jobs in March, pushing the unemployment rate to eight per cent, its highest point in the past seven years.

Men between the ages of 25 and 54 have been hit particularly hard in the ailing economy, making up more than 55 per cent of the jobs lost in Canada since October.

The cuts have come to traditionally male-dominated industries such as trades and transport (including construction), manufacturing and natural resources.

As a result, women now make up 48 per cent of Canada's labour force, and more have become the main source of income for their families.

According to Toronto-based life and business coach Joshua Zuchter, who regularly lectures about family dynamics, the changing roles may be tough on some people.

"It depends on the age. A husband and wife in their late 40s will have an easier time than those in the late 50s," he said. "The father is going to have to be the one who takes care of the family and start to do things he wasn't doing before."

Zuchter said many men who were not very involved with their families will be forced to take a more active role so their spouses can continue to bring home a regular paycheque. For some, this may spark a midlife crisis with increased feelings of depression and inadequacy, he said.

But he added that losing their jobs might also be a blessing in disguise for some men if it sparks their inner entrepreneur.

"I was recently speaking to a group of executives; a majority of them were males. They had all lost their jobs and were looking to regain employment, and many are now looking at self-employment," he said. "There is going to be a lot of that going on."

Colleen Burns, of the Canadian Federation of University Women, cautioned this is not a victory for gender equality.

"It's not just about the absolute total numbers of people in the workforce," said Burns. "It also has to do with what kinds of jobs are occupied by men and women, and there is a major disparity in the type of work."

Burns said women are largely employed in part-time or contract positions. As well, recession-proof fields, like education and health care, are overwhelmingly staffed by women.

While it is important to monitor the role women play in the workforce, she said, there is still much work to be done to address issues pertaining to pay equity and equal job opportunities for women.

-- Canwest News Service

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 11, 2009 B7

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