The YWCA of Evansville and other professional and community organizations in Evansville will mobilize on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 to call attention to the persistent and sizable gap between men’s and women’s wages. April 10th symbolizes the day when women’s wages catch up to men’s wages from the previous year. Every year in April, thousands of women’s, civil rights, labor, and community organizations across the country come together for a national day of action promoting fair pay known as Equal Pay Day.
“Pay inequality isn’t just a women’s issue; it is a family issue,†says YWCA CEO, Erika Taylor.“Research shows that 42 percent of mothers with children under the age of 18 are their families primary or sole breadwinners. Pay equity is critical in helping families make ends meet.â€
According to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median earnings for U.S. women working full time, year-round were just 80 percent of U.S. men’s median earnings—a gap of 20 percent, which means they have to work until April 10, 2018 to be paid as much as the typical man took home by December 31, 2017. Progress to close the gap has stalled during the last decade and the gap is even larger for women of color.
In Indiana, median earnings for men were $46,300 compared to women’s median earnings of $34,180 — an earnings ratio of just 74 percent. This is the sixth worst pay gap in the nation. Here in the 8thCongressional District, the gap is even greater at 70.8%. Earlier this year several Indiana lawmakers hoped to change that disparity by proposing equal-pay legislation to close the gap. The two measures that would charge employers with discrimination if they failed to pay women or minority workers equally. It would also give the Indiana Civil Rights Commission expanded authority to investigate and resolve wage complaints.
YWCA Evansville has invited two of the proponents of the equal pay bill, Senator Jeanne Breaux of Indianapolis, and Senator Vaneta Becker of Evansville to take part in the events on April 10th. Also attending will be Erin Macey from the Indiana Center for Working Families.
YWCA has scheduled a lineup of events on this day—open to the public.
- ï‚· Â First of all, wear RED on Equal Pay Day to show that women are “In the Red” with their pay.
- ï‚· Â Next, follow @YWCAevansille on twitter and retweet the statistics and information posted by YWCA Evansville.EVENTS SCHEDULE
- ï‚· Â 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Main Street next to Zuki – YWCA is sharing the sour truth about the wage gap at our annual Lemonade Stand on Main Street where male community leaders including Mayor Winnecke, Bob Jones, Jonathan Weinzapfel, Ken Haynie, and more will be serving up the lemonade which is discounted by 20% for women–the wage gap for women.
- ï‚· Â 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Old National Bank Auditorium (1 N. Main Street.) – YWCA is hosting The Unhappy Hour, featuring comedian Rachael Goldman. Come learn more about how the wage gap impacts women in the workforce and families from speakers Vaneta Becker (IN State Senator), Jeanne Breaux (IN State Senator), Sloane Standley (YWCA Board Member), and Erin Macey (IN Center for Working Families). Appetizers and Cash Bar! Come learn, laugh, and be inspired! Special thanks to Old Nationals Bank and Acropolis Restaurant.The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. The YWCA has been serving the Evansville area since 1911 and from its inception has provided housing and services for women and girls. The Evansville YWCA is a member of the YWCA of the U.S.A., the oldest and largest women’s membership movement in the country.
Over the years, YWCA programs have changed to meet the evolving needs of women and girls. In 1979, the YWCA opened the first domestic violence shelter in Evansville. Other current programs include the YES! sober living program, Emergency Shelter for homeless women and children, and the Live Y’ers after-school and mentoring program for at-risk girls in grades 3 through 12. Special programs and events for the general public are also offered.
Visit www.ywcaevansville.org for more information.
Good to see that another community organization can be duped by a misreading of data. We probably need to get the planning started for age pay gap day. It is sad that so called “educated” people can not seem to think beyond mere headlines or engage in critical thinking. There are various reasons behind the wage difference data and it can be gotten to if one simply performs a multivariate analysis, but that is probably too complicated. Of course for political agitation purposes and divisive politics it cause can only be a result of sexism. Is that what is driving the college admissions gap? Is that sexism? Well at least this event gives the emotive virtue signalers as chance to feel good about themselves – ribbons, buttons, colored shirts. I hope there is a good turn out.
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