The Nineties in America - Salem Press (2009)

were one-third higher than those of Newfoundland
and New Brunswick. Quebec’s per capita income was
below the national average but slightly higher than
that of the Atlantic coast provinces.
Upper-class families had a significantly higher
concentration of the national income. The income
of these families came from investments and prop-
erty ownership (land or companies) as well as from
salaries. In general, this was a period in which the
majority of Canadian wage and salary earners suf-
fered from low incomes as a result of the increase in
part-time and temporary or contract jobs. In the
middle of the decade, one in four workers was em-
ployed in a part-time position and one in twelve in a
temporary or contract job. The majority of these
workers were involuntarily working part time and
were unable to secure full-time employment. By
1998, part-time jobs had increased by almost 25 per-
cent while full-time positions had only increased by
8 percent.
A major factor affecting wages was the increasing
number of women in the workforce. In 1992, almost
two-thirds of Canadian families were two-income
households. Segregation of the workforce into
women’s jobs and men’s jobs continued to control
hiring, as women continued to be employed in
lower-paying service, retail, and clerical jobs. Al-
though Canadian women were demanding equal
pay and their income had risen from previous years,
they earned on average about two-thirds of what
male workers received.
In 1993, more than half of elderly widows and
almost two-thirds of families headed by single
mothers were below the low-income cutoff
point, spending more than one-half of their in-
come for food, shelter, and clothing.

Impact The 1990’s witnessed considerable dis-
parity in income and wages based on region, sex,
age and type of employment. The proliferation
of part-time, temporary, and contract jobs re-
sulted in a greater number of women in the
workforce and a greater number of individuals
holding multiple jobs. Government transfer
payments also became a significant part of many
household incomes.

Further Reading
Allahar, Anton, and James E. Coté.Richer and
Poorer: The Structure of Inequality in Canada.To-
ronto: James Lorimer, 1998.

Blais, François.Ending Poverty: A Basic Income for All

Canadians. Toronto: James Lorimer, 2002

Shawncey Webb

See also Business and the economy in Canada;

Employment in Canada; Income and wages in the

United States; Minimum wage increases.

 Income and wages in the

United States

Definition Wages (including salaries) represent

compensation in money paid to hired labor

while real wages measure the amount of goods

and services represented by the money wage;

other types of income include property income

and government transfer payments

Wages and incomes in the United States rose through most

of the decade.

In 1990, the American economy generated $4.9 tril-

lion in personal income. By 1999, this total had

grown to $7.8 trillion. The burden of personal taxes

rose from 12 to 14 percent. Much of the rise in in-

come reflected the general upward movement of

the price level, so real incomes did not rise nearly so

much as money incomes. In addition, population in-

creased. After adjusting for all these variables, one

The Nineties in America Income and wages in the United States
447

Average Weekly Earnings by Industry,

1990 and 2000

Sector 1990 2000

Natural resources and mining $603 $735

Construction $513 $686

Manufacturing $436 $591

Trade, transport, and utilities $332 $450

Information $480 $701

Finance $355 $537

Professional and business services $381 $535

Education and health $319 $449

Leisure and hospitality $156 $217

Other services $298 $413

Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2008, p. 412.