Photo: ROSLAN RAHMAN / AFP / Getty Images
This December 8th, Latinas Equal Pay Day was celebrated in an effort to close the income gap. More than 54 years after the approval of the Equal Pay Law of 1963, Latinas who work part-time year-round earn only 54 cents for every dollar non-Hispanic white men earn.
Latinas who work full-time, year-round earn 80 cents on the dollar. Latinas experience one of the most severe wage gaps, with women as a whole earning 83 cents on the dollar.
Noreen Farrell, executive director of Equal Rights Advocates (Defenders of Equal Rights or ERA), said the entity is in charge of tracking the pay gap. In this case, the one faced by Latina women who work full time in the workplace.
Their investigations revealed that the covid-54 caused a disproportionate number of Latina women to be driven out of the workplace altogether.
“Latinas are disproportionately in the service industries which have faced incredible layoffs and closures during the pandemic,” Farrell said.
The combination of low wages causes a “perfect storm ”, indicated Farrell as Latinas return to work earning less at the same job, possibly part-time wages.
This is disproportionate segregation and excessive, even compared to Latino workers who are in the lowest-paid jobs and who were also the most affected by covid-19.
Natalie Reyes, president of Latino Victory, said it is outrageous that Latinas are being robbed of their hard-earned wages. He stated that Latinas are a powerful economic force in this country, and are among the fastest growing population in the workforce.
“ There are 10 millions who are currently in the workforce. They influence a purchasing power of 2 trillion dollars, so the 54 cents on the dollar is simply unacceptable today and everyone the days,” Reyes said. “We want to highlight this and make sure that this gap is fixed immediately, and that Latinas get paid what their counterparts earn,” Reyes said.
Other obstacles
In addition, Latinas face more discrimination in the workplace and are less likely to of having a combination of paid leave and pregnancy.
“This causes a disruption in their income stream that depresses their overall wages, over the course of a year and a lifetime,” Farrell said.
Reyes added that paid leave is of vital importance for Latinas, but we must not forget other benefits such as access to the retirement plan.
“Some people take it for granted, but Latinas don’t have a retirement plan and that’s vitally important,” said Reyes.
He said the lack to those benefits is simply discriminatory especially when there are Latinas who are not only paying for themselves but are also negotiating and paying for the extended family.
“So they are carrying the burden for themselves, for their families and for their relatives,” Reyes said .
He emphasized that it is important to address this issue as soon as possible as this also helps the economy when Latinas are paid more because they also contribute to building a healthier economy with continuous growth.
The solutions
Advocates of equal pay say there are clear political solutions, correct and achievable to raise the minimum wage and abolish the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers.
Farrell said the most important thing is require employers to post wages so Latina workers understand how much they will earn and can negotiate higher wages as they take on new jobs.
Prohibit employers from relying on their previous offered wages and setting the hiring pay.
“Because we know that often perpetuates past discrimination. Eliminate discriminatory barriers for Latina workers to enter and advance in higher-paying fields,” said Farrell.
Additionally, they urge the approval of the Federal Paycheck Equity Act and the Pregnant Workers Equity Act that may be reintroduced in Congress in the coming days.
The good news is that the Caregiver Discrimination Act was recently introduced, which would prohibit discrimination of caregivers in the workplace as this also pushes them out of the workplace.