As much as Labor Day is a reminder of the victories of workers, it is also a reminder of how many hard-working women remain without essential benefits or wages on par with their male counterparts. This reality affects families and communities who depend on the earnings of women.
While New York State ranks eighth in the nation for its percent of women-owned businesses, the overall economic status of women tells a different story. In June, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research reported that in comparison to the rest of the nation, a higher share of New York women have lived in poverty since 1995. On this indicator, the state slipped from 30th in the nation in 1989 to 40th today.
In New York, the median income for a Latina working full time and year-round is $29,000. That’s lower than what Asian, white, African American and Native American women earn.
In low-paid work, income dramatically sinks. For example, Latinas working in childcare earn as low as $11,200 annually.
The economic status of Latinas matters greatly. As the Institute explains, a woman’s earnings, access to health coverage, and likelihood of poverty may affect her ability to provide a decent quality of life for her family, to maintain good health, or to leave an abusive relationship.
Governor David Paterson wisely maintained an executive order introduced by his predecessor that allows home-based child care workers to unionize. Delivering a pay increase to these workers needs to be a high priority.
With sex discrimination still affecting women’s wages, the enactment of pay equity legislation is overdue in Albany. Our legislators also need to push for another critical recommendation by the Institute—creating incentives so employers will set aside jobs for women in industries where they are under-represented.
