Native Women’s Equal Pay Day is a Reminder of the Urgent Need to End Wage Discrimination. Congress Must Act.
Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996
“Twenty-three months. That’s how long Native American women must work, on average, to be paid what white men are paid in one year – because in the United States today, Native women are paid just 51 cents for every dollar paid to white men. That’s appalling and driven by structural racism and sexism that are absolutely unacceptable.
“The wage gap causes immense harm to Native families and communities, and to our economy. Over the course of a 40-year career, a Native woman stands to lose nearly $1 million to the wage gap – making it harder for Native families to pay for essentials and forcing many into poverty.
“Progress is long overdue. America’s moms will fight for true justice and equality for Native women, and for all women, until the wage gap is finally closed.”
-Statement of Ruth Martin, Senior Vice President & Chief Workplace Justice Officer, MomsRising
“In our nation, Native moms are paid just 50 cents for every dollar paid to white dads. That is outrageous and it must change.
“Closing the wage gap should be a top priority for Congress. The U.S. House of Representatives did its job when it passed the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to increase worker protections, and moms are counting on the U.S. Senate to do the same before the end of this year. It’s also past time for Congress to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour. And we can’t build a strong economy or end systemic discrimination without building the care infrastructure working families need to thrive, which includes paid family and medical leave, affordable child care and home- and community-based services, protecting pregnant workers from discrimination, a path to citizenships for immigrant care and essential workers, and a permanent expansion of the Child Tax Credit. All that is long overdue.”
-Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO, MomsRising