Abstract

SOARES, Angelo. If didn't have to work as a supermarket cashier…. Rev. Estud. Fem. [online]. 1997, vol.05, n.01, pp.82-103. ISSN 1806-9584.

Why would working women "choose" a pinkcollarjob where working conditions and work organization are rigid and difficult? Why, despite ali the changes in the worlds of work, do we still find a high concentration of women segregated in certain professions or jobs? This article seeksto analyzethe processof choosing a pinkcollarjob, that of supermarket cashier in both São Paulo (Brazil) and Quebec (Canada). We focus our analysis along three axes. First, we altempt to understand why working women have chosen to work as supermarket cashiers. Secondly, we discuss the manner in which the employment selection process intervenesinthis"choice". Finally, we examine how in both societlesthe temporal dimensions of work organization restrict the possibilities for professional advancement and limitworking women's investment in their own human capital.