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Posted by bneufeld on May 14, 2013 at 21:41 pm
Upcoming NYC Women’s Equality Agenda Activities
Senator Liz Krueger is hosting a press conference in support of WEA
WHEN: TOMORROW, May 15
TIME: 1:00 to 2:00pm
WHERE: Steps of City Hall
Let us know if you plan to attend at: http://bit.ly/16wRbD4
*NYC Regional Committee members will greet partners on the steps with WEA signs.
NYC Women’s Equality Agenda Day of Action
WHEN: Saturday, May 18!
TIME: Meet up at 10:30am
WHERE: Planned Parenthood of New York City, 26 Bleecker Street (corner of Mott St). *Off the 6 train at Bleecker or BDFM at Broadway/Lafayette
NYC Regional Committee members will have breakfast, receive a special WEA campaign update, do a brief outreach training, and then head out in teams by 11:30am to sign up supporters in key legislative districts.
With 6 weeks left in the legislative session, educating and engaging voters about WEA in target districts is crucial to ensuring passage. YOUR action will allow us to reach as many supporters as possible!
Rally & Lobby Day!
WHEN: June 4
WHERE: Albany – advocates from around the state will descend upon the capital to meet with legislators and demand a vote for a more fair and equal New York
TIME: Rally in park starts at 10:30 a.m. More info to follow.
RSVP: Email Beverly Neufeld if you are interested in a spot on the bus!
Posted by bneufeld on May 14, 2013 at 21:37 pm
http://www.addison-eagle.com/news/2013/may/14/vermont-bill-strengthen-employee-womens-rights/?News
Vermont bill to strengthen employee, women’s rights
Employees may ask what coworkers are paid
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Montpelier — Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) will sign into law a bill May 14 strengthening protections for Vermont workers around a number of issues, most notably equal pay.
The bill, introduced in the House as H.99 and Senate as S.57, includes provisions for equal pay.
The bill also includes protections for employees who ask coworkers what they are paid, certification of compliance of government contractors with Vermont’s equal pay laws, have protections for new mothers who must express breast milk for their babies at work, and request flexible working arrangements.
The Vermont Commission on Women said the bill will also establish a study committee looking at the mechanics of the paid family leave law in Vermont.
Posted by bneufeld on May 14, 2013 at 21:27 pm
The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Labor
Making Good on the Promise of Equal Pay
by PAMELA COUKOS on MAY 6, 2013
Last week, veteran newsman – and father of three daughters – Tom Brokaw published an essay titled “Welcome to the Century of Women.” He talks about the incredible gains women have made in the workforce, politics, media, law, higher education and corporate leadership, but also asks how we can do even more to remove barriers to equality. In a May 2 appearance on NBC’s “Today” show, Brokaw suggested the answer could start with “the simple idea” of equal pay.
At the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, we couldn’t agree more. Read More
Posted by bneufeld on April 25, 2013 at 11:49 am
In Anticipation of 20th Anniversary of Take Your Daughters & Sons to Work Day,
New York Women’s Equality Coalition Advocates for Workplace Protections for Women
ALBANY, NY, April 24,2013—In anticipation of tomorrow’s 20th anniversary of Take Your Daughters & Sons to Work Day, members of the New York Women’s Equality Coalition will visit legislative offices today to advocate for the workplace protections that are part of the Women’s Equality Agenda. Advocates will deliver PayDay bars to legislators as a reminder that when we take our daughters and sons to work tomorrow, they will be confronted with the harsh reality that statewide, women earn only 84 cents for every dollar that a man earns. In many upstate regions, the gap is even wider – Oswego County women earn 69 cents on the dollar, Niagara County women earn 74 cents on the dollar, and women in Onondaga County earn 76 cents on the dollar.
Read More
Posted by bneufeld on April 17, 2013 at 17:17 pm
NYS Legislature takes action toward closing gender wage gap,in line with New Yorkers’ priorities and WEA
(Albany, NY April 16, 2013) The movement of pay equity bills in the Assembly and the Senate over the past two days demonstrates an interest on behalf of the New York State Legislature to correct gender disparities in New York workplaces, a welcome sign of bipartisan support for policies that are good for the women of New York. Earlier this year, a Quinnipiac University poll of New York voters showed 9 out of 10 think equal pay for women should be a priority for the Governor and the Legislature to address this year. Equal pay is one of the components of the proposed ten-point Women’s Equality Agenda supported by the New York Women’s Equality Coalition, made up of more than 750 business leaders, women’s organizations, religious leaders and labor groups statewide.
Women in New York earn 84 percent of what men earn. And that gap is even more alarming among women in upstate New York and African-American and Hispanic women who earn as little as 55 percent of what white non-Hispanic men make.
“Women are the breadwinners in millions of families across New York State and they need access to employment that does not discriminate based on gender or race,” stated Christine Sadowski, representing the YWCAs of New York State. “From a woman in New York City making 80 cents to every dollar a man makes to a woman in Buffalo making 67 cents, and every community in between, pay equity is a priority for the people of our state.”
“The action of the Senate and Assembly shows a willingness to align with Governor Cuomo’s goals and the priorities of the Women’s Equality Coalition,” said Beverly Neufeld, Equal Pay Coalition NYC. “We anticipate this level of cooperation going forward for all the components of the Women’s Equality Agenda.”
Posted by bneufeld on April 10, 2013 at 11:43 am
Advocates Unite on Equal Pay Day to Support Women’s Equality Agenda
New York Women’s Equality Coalition and Equal Pay Coalition NYC Come Together to Highlight Broad Support for Achieving Equal Pay for Women Under the Governor’s Women’s Equality Agenda
April 9, 2013- NEW YORK—Today marks the annual recognition of Equal Pay Day, a date chosen because it signifies how far into 2013 a woman would have to work to earn what a man earned in 2012. This year, the New York City regional group of the New York Women’s Equality Coalition and the Equal Pay Coalition NYC combined forces to host a press conference calling attention to the wage gap between men and women, and calling for support of Governor Cuomo’s Women’s Equality Agenda, a ten-point agenda that has among its goals achieving equal pay in New York.
Speakers from a broad spectrum of organizations—representing hundreds of groups and businesses in the New York City region and 750 groups and businesses statewide – addressed the grave disparities women face in New York, especially in matters of employment.
Read More
Posted by bneufeld on April 1, 2013 at 17:33 pm
Across NYS there are activities for Equal Pay Day – the symbolic day in 2013 that women have to work to make as much as men did in 2012! That’s over 15 months of work for only 12 months pay.
FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO:
1. Wear RED for Equal Pay Day – April 9 – because women are still in the RED!
2. Blog and Tweet about equal pay – #EqualPayNY, #NY4Women
Let us know what you think: On average NY women lose $8500 a year. What would you do with your lost wages??
Other Sample tweets:
- NY can achieve #EqualPay for women this year thanks to @NYGovCuomo’s Womens’s Equality Agenda! #NY4Women #EqualPayNY
- [Organization] supports #EqualPayNY for women – that’s why we support the @NYGovCuomo’s #WEA #EqualPayNY
- #EqualPayDay marks how far into 2013 women have to work to make what men made in 2012. Support @NYGovCuomo’s #WEA to achieve #EqualPayNY
3. Learn more about the Women’s Equality Agenda www.NYWomensEquality.org and Equal Pay Coalition NYC www.equalpaynewyork.org
4. Attend an event in your area! List below.
5. Email or call your legislators this week while they are in their district offices!
- Message: As an advocate for stronger equal pay laws in NYS, I urge you to advance this economic issue by supporting Gov. Cuomo’s Women’s Equality Agenda. NY labor law has proven insufficient to combat the gender wage gap. The provisions of the WEA would strengthen existing laws by prohibiting employers from terminating or retaliating against employees who share salary information, tighten exceptions in the law which justify pay differentials, discourage discrimination by increasing damages awarded to plaintiffs, and help working women and their families.
- Get Senator’s phone number here http://www.nysenate.gov/senators and Assemblymember’s phone number here:http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/
EQUAL PAY DAY EVENTS
Equal Pay Coalition NYC and the Women’s Equality Agenda
April 9: Press Conference at 11:00
April 9: Annual UNHAPPY Hour – 7:15 pm -??
Sponsored by Enterprising & Professional Women -NYC (EPWNYC)
Copacana – 268 West 47 Street
Free dance & salsa lessons, buffet & fun
Look for the Big Red Equal Pay Day Banner
Equal Pay Day International Symbol Red Purse Pin for Sale $20
Amsterdam-Gloversville-Johnstown Branch of AAUW
April 9: Equal Pay Day Book Club meeting – The Branch Lunch Bunch Book Club is reading Grace and Grit by Lilly Ledbetter to commemorate April 9 Equal Pay Day.
Buffalo Branch of AAUW
April 9: tabling event for general public; AAUW House meeting for members
April 22: The Buffalo AAUW Branch and Daemen College Presents An Evening with Lilly Ledbetter at 7:30 pm in the Wick Center Social Room, Daemen College – 4380 Main Street, Amherst (no charge).
Cortland Branch of AAUW
April 9: The Cortland Branch arranged for “Edgewood Bakery” in Homer and “Blue Frog” and “Indulge” on Main Street in Cortland to sell coffee for 23% less to women on Equal Pay Day in representation of the fact that nationally women earn 77% of what men make in similar jobs. The “Oh My Goodness” health food store in Homer will sell produce at the 23% discount.
Elmira-Corning Branch of AAUW
April 9: Event from 11:30 am – 1:15 pm at the Steele Memorial Library, Auditorium in Elmira, NY, with a program by Pamela Tolbert, PhD, Lois S. Gray Professor in the Industrial Labor Relations School at Cornell University will present a talk entitled, “She Makes, He Makes: Equal Pay and Family Gender Roles” at 12 pm. Professor Tolbert has a long-standing interest in studying the role of organizations in producing patterns of social inequality, and particularly, gender-based differences in earnings. Event sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Chemung County and Elmira-Corning AAUW.
Greater Rochester Branch of AAUW
April 9: The April Branch dinner features “Women in the Workplace” with keynote speaker Mary C. Van Bortel who will explore the challenges faced by many women to succeed in their careers while achieving balance in all aspects of their lives.
Islip Area Branch of AAUW
April 9: Raise commuters awareness of the need for Pay Equity legislation by members at four LIRR Stations by giving out Pay Day mini candy bars, Islip Area created Pay Equity brochures and Branch membership brochures; reaches well over 100 people
April 9: 3rd Annual Equal Pay Day Breakfast at Suffolk Community College; about 75 people attend from community organizations & women’s groups, as well as local government offices. County officials a have been invited to attend and speak. Partners include Suffolk County Office of Women & Enterprising and Professional Women NY
Ithaca Branch of AAUW
April 9: Branch is tabling campus tabling event
April 22: Branch will meet at Felicia’s Atomic Lounge for an “UNHAPPY HOUR.”
Jamestown Branch of AAUW
April 9: Four downtown restaurants will be offering a 20% discount for lunch on menu items for women and one restaurant will be doing it for the dinner hour.
Jamestown Branch will have an Op-Ed in the Sunday P-J.
Oswego Branch of AAUW
April 9: Letter to the Editor
Poughkeepsie Branch of AAUW
April 9: Issue discussion with federal elected officials; Pay Day candy distribution with literature to general public
Skaneateles Branch of AAUW
April 9: Pay Equity Day Lunch at the Sherwood Inn at 12 PM. Please bring your own personal pay equity story, about one paragraph long, to share with the group.
St. Lawrence County Branch of AAUW
April 9: Equal Pay Day AAUW’s Cocktails and Convos – AAUW-SLC’s inaugural Women’s Equity Agenda Happening Hour in honor of Equal Pay Day. These happening hours will cover the 10 points in the WEA. There will be an informal discussion of the highlighted issue. In addition we will invite individuals who are actively working on the issue right now either as a policy advocate or a best practices practioner to discuss the point. The happening will give attendees the option to try to network and organize further support and action regarding the issue.
Suffolk County
April 9: GENDER GAP 20: New Debates & Policy Agendas from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Sponsored by Hofstra Labor Studies and Women’s Studies & Hofstra Labor and Employment Law Journal at Leo Guthart Cultural Center Theater HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY [1st floor Axinn Library]
April 13 : A Call to Action for Women’s Equality Agenda and featuring writers from the Herstory Writers Workshop from 11 a.m. to 1p.m. Sponsored by Suffolk County Chapter of the NYCLU at Babylon Student Center at Suffolk Community College -Ammerman Campus – 533 College Road, Selden For more information, contact 631.650.2301 or suffolk@nyclu.org.
AAUW-NYS, AAUW-MI and AAUW-WI
April 17: Equal Pay Webinar with the federal Women’s Bureau (NYC & Chicago offices) which will feature AAUW’s Graduating to a Pay Gap and $tart $mart workshops with information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and EEOC. The webinar is designed for university and college career services and other departments that assist student with job searches & career planning.
Rockland County Branch of AAUW
April 17: Issue Forum at the New City Library 7pm in partnership with LWV, Hadassah, NCJW, 20-30-40, Rockland Women’s Political Caucus
Staten Island Branch of AAUW
April 23: AAUW-Staten Island is holding an April Membership Event and LAF Fundraiser featuring Elizabeth Grayer, President of Legal Momentum, the Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, speaking on Pay Equity Efforts in NYC and NYS. Dinner at 7 pm at Wagner College, 631 Howard Avenue, Union Building, Room 201, Staten Island. For further information, call (646) 221-9145.
Westchester Branch
The Pay Equity Outreach group focuses on facilitating $tart $mart workshops and also coaches colleges and universities throughout Southeastern New York and Connecticut on presenting workshops. We have worked with several colleges to help them plan and present these workshops. The group also developed a new marketing and educational brochure to aid in promoting the workshops. The $tart $mat workshops illuminate the gender pay gap for students and help them learn valuable negotiation skills to help them leap over the gap.
For AAUW event questions, email Donna Seymour: seymour6985@verizon.net
EPCNYC questions, email Beverly Neufeld bcneufeld@gmail.com
Posted by bneufeld on March 7, 2013 at 23:35 pm
Advocates Convene in Albany to Launch New York Women’s Equality Coalition
March 4, 2013 – ALBANY, NY—At a press conference at the Capitol, advocates launched the New York Women’s Equality Coalition, comprised of more than 500 labor groups, business leaders, civil rights organizations, women’s groups, medical associations, and religious groups united in vigorous support of Governor Cuomo’s Women’s Equality Agenda.
Read full press release
Posted by bneufeld on January 31, 2013 at 17:17 pm
89% of New York voters think equal pay for women should be high priority for Governor and Legislature
Demonstrates overwhelming support for a key component of Women’s Equality Act
(New York, New York, Jan. 31, 2013) Nearly nine out of 10 New York voters want to see equal pay for women become a reality this year, according to a new poll. A Quinnipiac University poll released today tested the popularity of some of the proposals made by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his State of the State address; overwhelmingly, voters ranked equal pay for women a priority for the Governor and Legislature.
“Today’s poll confirms what we have known for a long time. There is overwhelming support for equal pay across gender, race, economic status and political party. Clearly, New Yorkers – upstate and downstate – want and need policies to level the economic playing field. That is just what Gov. Cuomo’s bold Women’s Equality Agenda will accomplish,” stated Beverly Neufeld, spokesperson for the New York Women’s Agenda and Equal Pay Coalition NYC.
According to Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, 53 percent of those polled said equal pay for women should be the highest priority for state action. Another 36 percent say it should be a high priority. The priority of equal pay for women outranked such issues as campaign finance reform, bar exam-type tests for teachers, merit pay for teachers and longer school day/school year by 21% or more.
“More than ever, New York families are relying on the salaries of working mothers to make ends meet. Combating workplace discrimination—including pay equity—is imperative for women, families and overall economic growth,” said Dina Bakst, Co-Founder and Co-President of A Better Balance. “This poll confirms what we already know. New Yorkers care deeply about these issues.”
“Women are the breadwinners in millions of families across New York State and they need access to employment that does not discriminate based on gender or race,” stated Christine Sadowski, representing the YWCAs of New York State. “From a woman in New York City making 80 cents to every dollar a man makes to a woman in Buffalo making 67 cents, and every community in between, this poll confirms that addressing the injustice of pay equity is a priority for the people of the state.”
For comment, contact:
Beverly Cooper Neufeld – Past President | New York Women’s Agenda & Director | Equal Pay Coalition NYC
914.329.4046 | bcneufeld@gmail.com
www.newyorkwomensagenda.org | www.equalpaynewyork.or
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