IF YOU DON’T ASK, THEY WON’T TELL!

If you don’t ask the candidates for this November’s election about the need for pay equity law to protect those working in traditionally female jobs from being systematically underpaid, they won’t tell.  Chances are you won’t hear a word about the unequal pay suffered by women and people of color at all!  That’s why we must go to public meetings and ask the candidates: “What are you doing about the Fair Pay Act?”

We’re taking action for the November 7th Election. Lawmakers in Albany must hear from us.   Your State Senator has done nothing to pass the Fair Pay Bill - for six years!   While the State Assembly passed the Fair Pay Bill for six consecutive years, the Senate has buried the bill in committee.
  
Members of the Women on the Job Task Force and the New York State Pay Equity Coalition will be attending public candidates’ meetings, all during October.  We don’t have lobbyist dollars to give the candidates; but we can use our voices, our LOUD VOICES and we can use our votes.  Ask your State Senator, “What are you doing about the Fair Pay Act?”

On Long Island, we are targeting Republican Senators Skelos, Balboni, Marcellino, Flanagan, Johnson, Trunzo, LaValle, Hannon, and Fuschillo because Republicans have had the majority in the State Senate.  In New York State and in New York City, refer to the New York State Senate website to locate your district Senator for questions.  In Upstate New York, we are targeting Senators Joseph Bruno and George Maziarz, Chair of the Senate Labor Committee that has bottled up the Fair Pay Bill.   And, we must ask their opponents the same question this way: “Will you make every effort, if you are elected, to pass the Fair Pay Bill?” 

WHAT IS THE PAYOFF? You will put a public spotlight on the issue of women’s unequal pay.  All the people in the audience will learn (many for the first time) about the Fair Pay Bill because of your question. What is the pay off for you, personally?  You will become a progressive advocate for ending gender and race wage discrimination.  

CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR
We will also be voting for GOVERNOR.  If we don’t ask, they won’t tell.  Ask the gubernatorial candidates:   What action have you taken to address the problems of pay equity and equal pay for women and people of color?   Will you, if you are elected, initiate enforceable pay equity and equal pay legislation? 

REMEMBER!  IF YOU DON’T ASK, THEY WON’T TELL!

All the information you will need to highlight the content of that bill is below.

A FEW FACTS ABOUT PAY EQUITY AND THE FAIR PAY BILL

Women earn 76 cents to a man’s dollar.  Why?  Because the more women and people of color dominate an occupation, the less it pays.  The greatest wage disparity is for  jobs predominately held by women and minorities.   For example: clerical, service, health care, sales, child care workers are among jobs that tend to be sex segregated.

The Equal Pay Act (1963) requires equal pay for equal work.  If men and women are working in the same job titles, equal pay is covered under the law.  BUT, if you work in a “different job lower pay is legal even if your job requires more responsibilities and skills than a job that is paid more.

The Fair Pay Bill would require employers to establish Pay Equity, i.e. equal pay for work of equal value or comparable worth.   Jobs held my women and people of color and jobs held by men that are comparable in education/skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions should receive equal pay.
  
Is it possible to compare different jobs? Yes. Some employers have used job evaluations for over a half a century to set pay and rank for different occupations within a company or organization.

For more information about Pay Equity, see the link Working For Pay Equity on this website.  Home