March is Women’s History Month

by Dr. Arcelita Imasa

It’s women’s history month. How are women doing in the workforce these days?
–Reader

Dear Reader,

Salamat for your great question.

Sadly, a pay gap still exists between men and women for equal work. While it has improved a little, women still earn only 78 cents for every dollar a man earns for equal work.

That’s the average pay gap between working men and women in the United States. For women of color, this gap only increases, furthering the distance between equal work and equal pay.

In addition to the pay gap, many things would help women (and men) thrive in the workforce. We need quality, affordable childcare for all. And it needs to be available for evenings and weekends too.

We also need paid sick days and family and medical leave so that women and all workers can afford to take care of family members or stay home when they are sick. We hope that our State Legislature will pass Family Leave this year!

Women are the vast majority of workers in the food service industry and tipped workers deserve and need to be paid the full minimum wage and not the less subminimum.

Finally, all genders need family-supporting wages!

Too many women and families work more than one job just to survive thus making it hard to put family first. Women and all workers need opportunities to move up the pay scale. That means time and funding to get additional education and training are key.

But for many, this is out of reach for those who are too busy working more than one job and don’t have resources or opportunities to get additional training.

What else would you add to this list of Hawai’i Workers Center’s priorities that would allow women workers and all workers to THRIVE? Let us know what you think. Write to me at hiworkerscenter@gmail.com.

Hats off to the hardworking women and all the working people!

Sincerely,
Hawaii Workers Center