Morning Read: When the glass ceiling wasn’t even made of glass
Lilly Ledbetter has become a symbol of the equal pay movement in the US. (Photo: Wikipedia)
It’s sort of weird, right, that in the year 2012 equal pay for women has become a campaign issue in the presidential race?
But the facts remain the facts: In modern America, women are still paid roughly eighty cents for every dollar paid to men in comparable positions.
The Democratic and Republican parties are feuding over what that means and how to deal with it, not least because women have emerged as one of the defining voter blocs in national politics.
This week the Plattsburgh Press Republican offered some context for this discussion, recalling that just 25 years ago women weren’t even allowed into Rotary, one of the country’s most influential civic and business organizations.
We asked Rotarians from time to time in the ‘80s why women hadn’t been welcomed into the club, and a couple of older members said then that admitting women would douse the exchange of off-color humor.
In their editorial, the Press-Republican noted that a quarter century ago, women comprised some of the city’s most prominent business and civic leaders – and yet they were excluded.
That’s not a glass ceiling. That’s just good old fashioned discrimination.
“Restricting who can join based on superficial criteria is anti-American and just plain bad business,” the article concludes. “Every organization should want the best — not just half of the best.”
I wonder if someday soon we’ll look back on the equal pay issue in a similar light. Is it good business to pay an equally talented worker a fifth less than her male counterpart?
As always, comments welcome.
Tags: economy, election12, equal pay, gender, politics, women, work, work/life balance
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People who have the same job, same workload, same level of performance and same level of experience should get the same pay.
I agree with It’s but wonder about the statistics. But the headlines are for attracting attention not necessarily giving information. When so many women take out time to have and spend some time with their children, they lose the time-in-grade and perhaps experience. Do the statistics account for that? In the same vein (statistics) a report will say median income or mean income or perhaps mode income and they are not the same thing.
In the phrase above… men in comparable positions: Are the people fitting the list Its supplied?
I agree with ISABF’s comment above.
But what is wrong with some organizations that want to have all men or all women?
We live in a Capitalist Country. Capitalism promotes the cream to rise to the top of the barrel. There will always be under-achievers and bottom feeders. The monetary reward for excellence in the work world is just, and it is why we push our offspring to be better than us….to have a better life than us. The proof……Immigrants are NOT flocking to live in communist or socialist countries. There is where equal pay is guaranteed, (and sucks by the way) It is time for the AMERICAN WORKER to stop whining and pay attention to achieving excellence rather than keeping up with the Jones’. With this excellence comes the ability to negotiate a wage that is desirable to the worker. We need to STOP classifying and subdividing the American Worker on terms of Sexuality,Race and Sex. It is destroying our Country. In my career experience, my bosses couldn’t care less if I was a pink and purple alien….I busted ass for them and made them money, in turn they took care of my monetary needs because it grows and fosters a dedicated, hardworking, employee. Bosses understand this… it is how they became a boss in the first place. The government is excelling at screwing up every thing they are involved with. Americans want them to get involved with their pay? There is a reason that some, make more than others….. work with them for a few months and it becomes crystal clear.
To Brian Mann: Don’t know if you noticed, Protect! has an article on their website about the lawsuit against the APA regarding the ACR project in Tupper Lake. They have posted several documents pretty much proving the developers violated the ex parte rules. Validates your story back in January(I think) where you had a quote from Tupper Lake mayor Paul Maroun stating “he knew” there were ongoing talks between the developer and APA executive staff. The documents also directly contradict statements from John Banta in your article recently in the Explorer, where he said there were no violations of ex parte rules. Can we expect an in depth story from you on this? Thanks.
“Capitalism promotes the cream to rise to the top of the barrel.”
Yeah, and scum floats too.