“Day after day and year after year, Latina women are shortchanged on their paychecks because of one of the widest, most punitive wage gaps in the country, which persists across occupations and levels of education. This appalling wage discrimination is especially damaging for Latina moms, who are paid just 47 cents on the dollar paid to white dads. Overall, Latina women are paid just 54 cents compared to a dollar paid to white men. That’s deeply unjust and unjustifiable, and Latina families and communities cannot wait any longer for solutions. 

“We will not close this shameful gap until Congress takes bold, comprehensive action to address its root causes, which includes structural racism and sexism, occupational segregation, inadequate workplace protections, and an economy that punishes caregiving. 

“It is unacceptable that Latina women must work nearly two years to be paid what white men are paid in one. We will continue to fight until the wage gap is closed for Latina women and for all women, once and for all.” 

-Statement of Xochitl Oseguera, Vice President, MamásConPoder

“Latina women face compounding harms due to structural racism, sexism and xenophobia, and the wage gap Latina moms face is even wider because Congress has not built a care infrastructure. Now more than ever, our elected leaders must stand up for working families, address this pervasive discrimination and build an economy where everyone can thrive. 

“During this lame-duck session, the U.S. Senate has an opportunity to boost gender and racial equality by joining the U.S. House of Representatives in passing the Paycheck Fairness Act as well as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which would help prevent pregnant workers from being pushed out of jobs by guaranteeing the accommodations they need to maintain healthy pregnancies. That is especially important for Latina moms, who are more likely than their white counterparts to hold jobs that are physically demanding and less likely to provide accommodations. The Senate must pass these protections by the end of the year. 

“It’s also past time for Congress to pass paid family and medical leave for all, solutions to our nation’s child care crisis, an extension of the expanded Child Tax Credit, a $15 minimum wage and a path to citizenship for care workers. Studies show that all of these policies would help close the wage gap while boosting families and our economy. That should be a top priority for every lawmaker.”

-Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO, MomsRising