New data on gender segregation and pay disparities in jobs | Remapping Debate

New data on gender segregation and pay disparities in jobs | Remapping Debate

If one examined occupations with more than 90 percent women and more than 100,000 workers, there would only be six such occupations (as compared with 35 for men). Remapping Debate used less stringent measure of occupational domination — greater than 75 percent women — to yield the 30 occupations depicted in this data visualization.

In each and every one — whether large occupations like secretaries or teachers, or smaller occupations like payroll and timekeeping clerks — median earnings of women were less than those of men, although women did have median earnings in excess of 90 percent of those of men in several occupations.

In five cases — including registered nurses and elementary and middle school teachers — median pay for women was $40,000 or more a year (compared with 20 such occupations for men).

The highest median for women is that of registered nurses ($59,499). There were four occupations with more than 100,000 workers in total that had median incomes for men that were higher (including engineering managers and construction managers).

That's why we have to compensate women for the work they do -- not the work that men do. When accountability, problem solving, and know how are taken into consideration -- women's compensation stacks up against men! Comparable worth lives!

Women in the Workplace - KSMQ's "Cities on the Move" - Town Hall Special -

Some very familiar faces in this video:)


http://www.youtube.com/ksmq#p/u/12/PQottLbsjGM

Pay Equity Law in Minnesota Targeted for Repeal

Pay Equity Friends,

Today a bill, HF 7, was introduced in the Minnesota House of Representatives to repeal the Local Government Pay Equity Act (LGPEA). Other mandates are also included in the bill.

The LGPEA of 1984 (M.S. 471.991 to 471.999) required local governments (cities, counties, school districts, etc) to “establish equitable compensation relationships” by December 31, 1991. Other common terms for “equitable compensation relationships” are “comparable worth” or “pay equity.” Jurisdictions report to the Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget every three years.

The purpose of the law is “to eliminate sex-based wage disparities in public employment in this state.” Equitable compensation relationships are achieved when “the compensation for female-dominated classes is not consistently below the compensation for male-dominated classes of comparable work value…within the political subdivision.” (Minnesota Management & Budget “Minnesota Local Government Pay Equity Compliance Report”, January 2011).

The MMB’s January, 2011 report notes various pay increases as a result of inequities found in local governments who reported in 2010. Before the inequities were corrected, the average pay for females in the examples found in the report was $16.27 per hour. After pay equity adjustments were made, the average pay for females was $17.86 per hour.

What this report tells us is that the LGPEA is of vital importance to the lives of women working public sector jobs in Minnesota and that wage discrimination is alive and well. Not to mention that women still make $.22 less than men, on average, in the state of Minnesota.

We cannot allow the Local Government Pay Equity Act to be abolished! Please pass along this information within your networks.

Defending Pay Equity in Minnesota - A Call to Action

Pay Equity Friends,

On December 10, 2010 The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce (www.mnchamber.com) released its findings regarding public employee compensation. One of their many recommendations is:

"State pay equity/comparable worth law should be repealed. Its purpose is outdated, and requiring governments to correct perceived “errors” in labor markets based on bureaucratic and subjective assessments of the relative value of government jobs is an unnecessary and costly mandate." (compstudy.highlighlights.final.12.9.10.pdf, p.7.)

We, of course, do not agree. The purpose of the state pay equity/comparable worth law is to eliminate “discrimination against women who are paid less than men for jobs requiring comparable levels of expertise.” (http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/comp-pay-equity) It is very likely there will be legislation introduced this legislative session, which begins January 3, 2011, in response to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and NAIOP Minnesota’s recommendations. The Chamber of Commerce is the state’s largest business advocacy organization.

The State Government Pay Equity Act and the Local Government Pay Equity Act were passed in 1982 and 1984 respectively. The Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota is dedicated to defending the laws and ensuring they are not weakened or repealed.

Both pieces of legislation have been very successful in putting more money into the pockets of hard working women in the public sector. These laws go far beyond the concept of equal pay for equal work – which we know has been largely ineffective in terms of decreasing the wage gap between fulltime working women and men. According to a report released in June, 2010 by the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and the Humphrey Institute: “White, African American and Latina women earn $0.76, $0.61 and $0.56 on the dollar, respectively, compared to white men”. (http://www.wfmn.org/research/?51). The State Government Pay Equity Act has helped to eliminate this gap for state employees -- except for $.03 of it!

We can use your help! It is important that our side is represented at the State Capitol this winter. As much as we look to our volunteers for help, it is important that paid professionals come to our aid as well, and that requires money.

If you or your organization can help, please send your check donations to our fiscal agent:

Minnesota Women’s Consortium
550 Rice St.
St. Paul, MN 55103
Check tagline: Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota

Please contact me any time if you have any questions about the efforts of the Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota. We are also available to speak at your events.

Sincerely,

Patty Tanji

Minnesota Public Employee Compensation is Under Attack

More money troubles are brewing here in Minnesota. On December December 10, 2010 the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce released its report on public employee compensation. Here's the link on their home page.

http://www.mnchamber.com/

AFSCME Council 5 responded on December 11, 2010. Here's the link to their response:

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4708

Briefly -- it looks like the Tax Payer Association has pegged Minnesota public employee wages as too high and AFSCME Council 5 thinks they are just fine.

Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota will respond to the Chamber's report shortly after we get a chance to mill it over.

Stay tuned.....

Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on US Senate's failure to pass Paycheck Fairness Act

PR-USA.net - Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on US Senate's failure to pass Paycheck Fairness Act

Pay Envy and What to Do About

Check out Chris Walker's response in the comments. He ran a quick salary check using jobsearchintelligence.com. I've cut and pasted his response here. Thank you Chris.

"Check the salary calculator at jobsearchintelligence.com. I ran a calculation on male & female accountants in Akron, OH with the same education and experience. The calculator uses 12 datapoints, here's the results:
MALE 'Your salary survey data results for Accountants in Akron, OH:
There are 2910 persons employed as Accountants in Akron, OH.
Entry level range salaries (The 10th percentile) for this occupation are $38850
The median salary for this occupation is $57220.
The top earners for this occupation have an annualized salary of $90850
Based upon the information that you have provided, the market will likely offer you an annual salary of $62700'

FEMALE:'Based upon the information that you have provided, the market will likely offer you an annual salary of $49100.
As a reference, a person who is not subject to any gender bias or racial bias, with the same qualifications as those listed by you is currently earning an annual salary of $62700'"