Change in the distribution of income of the working age population 1976-96

Census data are used to analyse changes in the distribution of income among the working-age population (15 to 59 years) between 1976 and 1996. The income distribution of the population is shown at three levels of aggregation: the whole population, the labour force and the employed. Income has become more equally distributed with respect to the whole population, due to women’s employment and income. But, with respect to the labour force and the employed, income inequalities have grown. Changes in the structure of employment appear to account for a small part of the change, but unemployment does not appear to have had a significant effect. For the most part, the observed increase in income inequality is not captured by the variables presently used in labour market research.