Lawmakers Call Pay Equity A Family Issue

OKLAHOMA CITY - Being paid less for the same work isn't just a women's issue; it's a family issue. That's according to Senator Angela Monson and Representative Debbie Blackburn who said many Oklahomans may be unaware of the pay gap, and how it is hurting children and families

Their comments came on national Women's Pay Equity Day; a nationwide event aimed at drawing attention to the issue of equal pay for equal work.

"May 11th was chosen as Women's Pay Equity day for a reason. On the average, women earn 23% less than men for the same job. So to make what a man earned in 1999, a woman would have to work those 12 months, plus an additional 132 days in the year 2000 just to make the same amount of money," explained Senator Monson.

In 1963, American women made 59 cents for every dollar that men earned. That was the year the Federal Equal Pay Act was signed into law. In 1998, women were earning only 73 cents to the dollar.

"Maybe that sounds like great progress to some, and while it is progress, it represents a gain of only half a penny a year since the Equal Pay Act was passed," noted Representative Blackburn.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1998 the median annual income for men was $35,345, compared to $25,362 for women.

However that gap is even more dramatic when examining the differences between earnings for men and women of color.

"The fact is that Hispanic and black males are earning less than their white counterparts, however women of color earn even less than they do. Clearly this is evidence that discrimination in the work place based on both race and gender is still a tremendous problem in this country," said Senator Monson.

The two lawmakers stressed that while Pay Equity Day brings attention to the fact that women are not getting equal pay for equal work, it is not just a women's or minority issue.

"This is a family issue. These days, in the vast majority of American families, both parents are working. Seven times as many women are raising families alone than there are men raising families by themselves. And the fact is those families in particular are more likely to live in poverty. Those families are not going to get a 23% reduction on their groceries, rent, or cost of clothes just because women are paid less in this country," said Blackburn.

Senator Monson commented that the issue of pay equity is one all families need to be concerned with.

"Let's face it, in families with both parents working it means they cannot provide as well for their children as they could if we had equal pay for equal work. There is an even greater harm to single parent families in which the mother is the soul breadwinner. And it means elderly women will be at greater risk to live in poverty, because lower lifetime earnings mean lower pensions," said Monson.

"And here's the kicker. Although it would seem that more education is the answer, it is only part of the answer. Because the greater the education, the higher the degree, the more the pay gap widens," said Blackburn.

Solutions include better enforcement of existing anti-discrimination laws. That would require action at the federal level.

"But I think a big part of it is greater public awareness of the fact that discrimination against women in the workplace is still a tremendous problem in this state and in this country. It impacts us all. If it is corrected, we have gone a long way in reducing the drain on social services while giving families a better quality of life," said Senator Monson.

"This is a new millennium. The time for eliminating this kind of discrimination that diminishes the quality of life for literally millions of American families is long overdue," said Representative Blackburn.