Women's issues still awaiting action
The following is a Counterpoint.
By Shawn Wozniak
March 1 marked the start of Women's History Month. In this historic year for women, in which Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi shattered the marble ceiling, a record number of women were elected to Congress; the first woman president was named at Harvard, and Wimbledon agreed to pay women players the same as men.
Women's History Month serves as an important celebration of the progress that has been made by women as well as a reminder of the obstacles that still exist today. Our elected leaders should take note of these firsts and make policies that will ensure such barriers continue to fall.
More than 40 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women still earn only 77 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts. Equal pay for equal work is a simple matter of justice for women, and pay equity is essential to the economic security of women and their families. Congress should strengthen the Equal Pay Act, closing loopholes and improving its effectiveness.
Congress must also preserve and enforce Title IX, the law that prohibits sexual discrimination in education. Passed 35 years ago, Title IX's impact goes far beyond sports, making it one of the country's most notable civil rights success stories.
The Family and Medical Leave Act has ensured since 1993 that America has productive and successful workers and healthy and secure families. The FMLA was a monumental step toward our goal of being a nation that values families.
But it was only a first step. Millions of Americans do not have access to the act's protections, and millions more cannot afford to take advantage of them. FMLA should be expanded to cover more workers, as well as making paid family and medical leave and paid sick days available to everyone.
This year, the American Association of University Women, one of the oldest and most respected women's organizations, celebrates 125 years of influencing the social, political and economic status of women. I am proud to join with them in recognizing March as Women's History Month, because equity is still an issue.
The writer lives in Greensboro.
Comments (11)
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So I guess I can't just cook my wife dinner and tell her "Happy Women's Month"?
Posted on March 6, 2007 10:18 AM
When is Men's History Month?
Posted on March 6, 2007 10:23 AM
Hugh,
You can join Alfalfa and Spanky in the "He-Man Woman Hater's Club".
Posted on March 6, 2007 10:58 AM
Hugh,
Same as White History Month, I think?
"...Nancy Pelosi shattered the marble ceiling"
I thought that was Condoleeza Rice. No wait, Sandra Day O'Connor. No, wait...
Hidden in the rhetoric is the idea of expanding the fmla to small businesses who often can't afford to save jobs for employees who are out for over a month.
Posted on March 6, 2007 12:13 PM
Among other notable achievements that should be highlighted during this month:
History will long remember and duly record that the first WOMAN to represent Greensboro's District One on the City Council was/is ... you guessed it!
The city's cup runneth over with great pride!
Posted on March 6, 2007 1:06 PM
""...Nancy Pelosi shattered the marble ceiling"
And she has that damn gavel to hit dissenters with impunity.
Well we just finished black history month, may as well do women's history month. A black woman gets two months of celebration in a row!
Here is my beef with this letter:
"FMLA should be expanded to cover more workers, as well as making paid family and medical leave and paid sick days available to everyone."
Ahhhhh, a call to all socialists, we need more govt. intervention over business. That costs big bucks Shawn, are you will to pay that as an employer? Are you willing to pay more for goods and services to expand your socialist wish lists?
I'm self-employed now, but let's say I want to hire an employee. So I hire a woman, she gets pregnant and has a baby. I have to give her paid maternity leave for 2-3 months while getting zero productivity from her.
Guess what? I'm going to hire a guy instead or at least a post menopausal woman.
I could stand to hire someone to help my business but the one major reason I won't is because of all the govt. BS in having employees.
Posted on March 6, 2007 7:20 PM
Economies of scale-
women overpopulate the service and child care sectors, men overpopulate the technical and financial sectors------voila!!!------
>>>>>>>
As a general trend, women are catching up to men, not only in higher paying professions, but in the overall compensation.
Posted on March 6, 2007 11:07 PM
Dan,
I think you are basing a lot of opinion on misinformation. FLMA does not force any employer to PAY an employee while they are on leave. It only states that an employee is entitled to a three month medical leave of absence without worrying about losing their job. Their job is secure for that three months. If an employee has to be out longer, it is up to the employer as to whether or not they hold the job open for the employee.
My FLMA leave was up the last of Feb. but I have not been released by the doctor to go back to work yet. So my manager put me on a regular LOA. Believe me, had I not had some vacation time and if my coworkers had not donated some time to me, I would have been without monies. The sorry disability insurance I pay over $120/month for has been slack in getting any payments to me. (It is the "duck" insurance co.) That $120/mo does not include health insurance, only temporary disability.
Posted on March 7, 2007 1:05 AM
j
Posted on March 7, 2007 7:42 PM
Yvonne, you misunderstood my post. Under Shawn's plan we would have to pay people taking FMLA, hence my example of not hiring a woman of child bearing age.
I know FMLA doesn't pay now and it should remain that way.
Posted on March 7, 2007 7:44 PM
Dan,
I see your point. The idea of making companies pay for FMLA is pretty hard to swallow. Especially when it is obvious that the writer wants to expand this coverage to ALL employees (including those hired by a small biz).
Posted on March 8, 2007 1:13 PM