A glut of older women workers?

The crux of our employment dilemma, according to Beryl, lies in the post-war baby boom phenomenon. There is simply a glut of older women workers in the employment market right now, and where there's a glut of anything the product gets devalued.

"These days, all women, single or married, demand the right to retire at the same age as men – 65+ – but there are simply not enough jobs available for everyone,” says Beryl, “and I feel totally devalued because I am one of far too many older women looking for work or desperately clinging on to the jobs we have.”

"Pushing older women like me out of work, denying us a livelihood, is likely to cause a mammoth social problem - and it's happening already," says Beryl. “Those of us without working partners to financially support us are in real trouble.”

“More and more older women are facing crises in accommodation and health,” sighs Beryl, “and I predict a lot more bag ladies are going to be visible in future.”

"I feel very threatened at work by all the younger women,” says Beryl. “I need to save for the future and if I lose my job I will probably never get another one."

"There are only two other women of my age where I work," says Beryl, "and we stick together like glue because that's where our strength lies. The younger women are less likely to attack us when we provide a united front."

"If it sounds like a war," laughs Beryl, "then that's not too far off the mark."

Read more by Beryl on this issue:

traditional workplaces
empty nest mirrors

Rolling over the oldies

Geraldine is a fit and healthy 54-year old woman who expected to be in gainful employment until she was at least 65, but she’s seen younger ‘older’ women rolled over in the workplace and she’s fearful of becoming unemployed.

"Forty-up women who are in employment work under a lot of stress these days knowing that they are considered to be hogging jobs that younger workers need," explains Geraldine. "The flimsiest of excuses are given to get rid of older workers, but everyone knows what's really going on."

"Okay," concedes Geraldine, "it may be time to say Roll Over Beethoven for the women in their 60s, and possibly late 50s, too, but where do these women go? How are they supposed to support themselves? How can they be expected to compete for jobs with their children if not their grandchildren?"

"With anything up to 20 years to go before becoming eligible for a pension, women like me are in real trouble," sighs Geraldine. "How are we supposed to support ourselves when nobody is willing to give us jobs?"

"Recently laid-off after many years in the same job, some of these women don't even know what a CV or a resume is," says Geraldine. "A resume, a portfolio of one's work experience and achievements is a 1990s thing, and guess what employers expect to see right at the top of your resume?"

"Your age, of course!" laughs Geraldine.

"No woman in her right mind would want to bring daughters into the world knowing they are going to be washed up at 50, 40 or 35 while men the same age are often just getting started in lucrative careers.”

"When young women refuse to have babies, men take notice," says Geraldine. "That trend is already evident and we're responsible for it."

"We're telling our daughters that the whole Women's Lib Movement was a scam. My generation got sucked in by the equality myth. My daughter's generation won't."

Read more by Geraldine on this issue:

mom's army