WHEREAS:
Women represent almost half of today’s workforce in the U.S. They share equal breadwinning power in at least four out of ten families in the country. They receive more college and graduate degrees than men. Yet, on average, women continue to earn considerably less than men; and
WHEREAS:
In 2015, female full-time workers made only 79% of every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 21 percent. In 2013, the earnings of African American women were 68% of men’s, and full-time working Latina women made only 60% of men’s wages. On average, women earn less than men in virtually every single occupation, an effect compounded by race and national origin discrimination; and
WHEREAS:
Women have made tremendous strides during the last few decades by moving into jobs and occupations previously done almost exclusively by men, yet during the last decade there has been very little progress in gender integration of work. Some industries have been extremely resistant to giving women jobs and/or real promotional opportunities; and
WHEREAS:
Pay Equity is a growing national movement with bills in favor of pay equity reform introduced in more than 25 state legislatures. The movement clearly recognizes that integrating women and adjusting pay scales will lift families and children from poverty. It is known that the poverty rate for working women would be cut in half if they were paid the same as men performing comparable work.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will develop strategies and proposals for job integration, pay equity and removal of sex, racial and national origin, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in the workplace; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will lobby the White House and Congress to create effective remedies for the enforcement of pay equity for all working women.
SUBMITTED BY: Juan Fernandez, President and Delegate
Egbert Isaacs, Delegate
Sheera S. Glass, Delegate
Thomas Orawiec, Delegate
Juliet White, Delegate
AFSCME Local 154, District Council 37
New York