The reserve army of labour 

A Marxist term used to describe the ranks of the unemployed who – through the absence of any meaningful choice – are prepared to work for very low wages in temporary jobs. The existence of a reserve army of labour serves the interests of the bourgeoisie and exploits members of the proletariat.

The idea that women workers are particularly useful to capital as a reserve army of labour—to be brought in and thrown out of wage labour as the interests of capital dictate—has a wide currency amongst marxists and feminists  

For example, individuals considered troublesome or unproductive at work can be replaced by those in the reserve labor pool. This helps keep profits high for capital owners by keeping the ranks of economically inactive individuals full. Interestingly, the reserve labor pool is predominantly made up of women. Women tend to hold lower-paying jobs with less job security compared to men. They are often found in the cleaning, clerical, caring, cashiering, and catering industries. As a result, women play a crucial role in the precariat class. This is especially evident in developing countries where labor rights are suppressed by the government. Multinational corporations are drawn to these nations due to the lower wages and substandard working conditions. This trend is also seen in advanced capitalist economies like the UK. From a leftist perspective, this exploitation of women by wealthy capitalist entities is concerning.