Luis Delfim Santos

Employment, Pay and Discrimination in the Tourism Industry

Using a large administratively matched employer–employee data set, we analyse the gender wage gap in the Portuguese tourism labour market. As background, employment and pay in the tourism industry are thoroughly characterized. Using the Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition of the gender wage gap, we find that 45% of the gap is due to differences in attributes of male and female workers in tourism. Our estimate of the coefficient of discrimination in the tourism industry (8.4%) puts it well below the non-tourism average (15.8%). We argue that this is due to the fact that minimum wage legislation provides an effective protection to low-wage earners, which is especially important in low-wage industries such as tourism.

Education and gender wage differentials in Portugal: what can we learn from an age cohort analysis?

Important changes characterize the recent evolution of the schooling of workers in Portugal. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the consequences of those changes in the gender wage gap. In particular, we analyze and compare the way that this process has evolved in the groups of young workers and older workers. Our findings suggest that the major part of the pay gap refers to employer discrimination practices for both age group cohorts: in the case of the younger workers, discrimination plays an increasing role in explaining the wage gap; whereas for the older workers, discrimination remains stable over time.

Still holding on? Inequality, labour market and middle-income groups in Portugal

While recent studies have highlighted the phenomenon and risks of increased inequalities between the top and the bottom of society, little research has so far been carried out on trends relating to the median income range that generally represents the middle class. This volume examines the following questions: what are the main transformations in the world of work over the last 20 years in terms of the labour market, social dialogue, and conditions of work, wages and incomes that may have affected the middle class? How has the middle class been altered by the financial and economic crisis? What are the long-term trends for the middle class in Europe?

The Monitoring System on Quality of Life of the City of Porto

Since 2001, an observatory on urban quality of life has been operating in the city of Porto based on objective statistical data but also on data concerning citizens’ perceptions and satisfaction levels about their personal and collective well-being. This project was conceived and designed by the municipality with the support of the University of Porto to foster informed public awareness and political choices. A group of about 30 public and private institutions form a collaborative network that supports this project through the regular supply of quantitative information.