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Statement

Tomorrow, Thursday, Is Latina Equal Pay Day. When Will Pay in America Finally Be Fair?

October 4, 2023
Equal Pay

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of leaders of MomsRising/MamásConPoder, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on Latina Equal Pay Day 2023:

“The wage gap that Latinas in this country experience is painful and punitive and it’s causing grave, lasting harm to Latina workers, moms, and families, and to our nation’s economy. It is a national disgrace that Latinas – those employed full- and part-time, working year-round and part-year – are paid a mere 52 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men in this nation; and that Latina moms are paid just 40 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic dads.

“Those wage gaps are a measure of the intolerable inequities that lawmakers and businesses have failed to address. It’s time for that to change. In order for our economy to succeed and our country to thrive, Congress must address the causes of the wage gap, including unchecked race- and gender-bias and occupational segregation, inadequate protections against discrimination in the workplace, and an economy that punishes instead of values caregiving. Moms will speak out and advocate for the measures that will finally close the wage gap for Latina women and for all women.”

-Statement of Xochitl Oseguera, Vice President, MamásConPoder

“Fair pay continues to be out of reach for women in this country, and that’s especially true for women of color and moms. The Latina wage gap is especially punishing, and it costs Latino families thousands of dollars every year – and that income could be used to put food on the table, pay for heat, transportation, and school supplies, save for college and retirement, and to fuel businesses and our economy as a whole.

“The Latina wage gap, which persists across occupations and education levels, is caused by structural racism, sexism, and xenophobia. It has multiple causes and thus requires multiple solutions. America’s moms are demanding that Congress pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, to protect workers from retaliation for discussing their pay, ban the use of prior salary history in setting salaries, codify the collection of pay data, and in other ways combat pay discrimination. We need care infrastructure policies – like child care, paid family and medical leave, and equitable health care –  which studies show help close the wage gaps. We also need Congress to pass the Raise the Wage Act of 2023, to increase the federal minimum wage to $17per hour by 2028. These bills are badly needed and long overdue and their passage should be a high priority for every lawmaker.”

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

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.