Many people aren't going to like me saying this - and I honestly don't know if this is true, but it's something I once read - what does anyone think? As someone who has studied economics, it certainly is "possible"

What I read, is that low wages in the UK can be linked to women working once they are married and have children - I shall explain the logic of the article I read.

Apparently, back in the day, the man went out to earn the bread, the woman stayed at home, looked after the kids, then when her man got home, scrubbed his back. He had to work hard to support his family.

This however was the working class way. The middle classes - upper middle classes that is - the women used to work, albeit in doddle jobs.
It is said in a socio-economic sense, that the middle classes had "guilt" over this, knowing their children really wanted their parents, not a nanny. They managed over the decades to pass this guilt on to the working class majority, who now felt obliged to go out to work - but they couldn't of course afford nannies, they send their kids to daycare (note - don't confuse working class with coal miners sitting in a tin bath once a week, it means anyone working who has to really).

Now in kicks simple economics. With both parties in a marriage working, the pay levels will naturally come down, as both sides can afford to take lower pay - and in a competitive market will.

So this report concluded, low pay is because companies know full well they can pay peanuts - and do.
If women didn't work it went on - then the men would refuse to accept rubbish pay, and the companies would be forced to raise pay levels.

As I said, I've studied economics, this IS possible, but on the other hand, I can see loopholes you could drive a train through. Outsourcing, cheap labour from abroad, take it or leave it attitudes with employers etc

Sort of made me think for a while though - maybe it is a contributing factor. Then again, "back in the day" when only the man did work, they didn't exactly pay huge wages for working to an early death down in the mill did they.