Tell Congress to make pay equity for Native women a priority! SIGN NOW

Dear Friend,

TAKE ACTION! Tell Congress to make pay equity for Native women a priority today and every day by advancing policies that move our nation toward equal pay!

Did you know November is National Native American Heritage Month? This month is a time to honor this community as the first stewards of this land and celebrate the rich history, culture, and traditions of Native people across the country. But today, in the midst of this beautiful celebration is a day to activate, not celebrate: Native Women’s Equal Pay Day – the day we rally against the appalling wage injustices Native women face in the workforce and work to raise awareness about the policy solutions we need to address wage disparities. 

The current situation has to change and now is the time! On average, Native women earn only 52 cents for every $1 paid to white men working part-time, full-time, and part year. [1] For Native moms, it’s just 41 cents because, in addition to sexism, racism and colonialism, moms face additional wage discrimination and barriers to employment. [2] We cannot allow this gap to persist. We need bold action to end it. We need Congress to swiftly pass the following policies that studies show will help close the wage gaps:

• The Paycheck Fairness Act, which would modernize and strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to better combat pay discrimination and close the wage gap, including by protecting workers from retaliation for discussing pay, banning the use of prior salary history, and codifying pay data collection;
• The Healthy Families Act, which would set a national standard for paid sick and safe days to allow workers in businesses with 15 or more employees to earn up to seven job-protected paid sick and safe days each year, and;
• The FAMILY Act, which would provide workers with up to 12 weeks of partial income when they take time off from work for their own serious health condition; the serious health condition of a family member; the birth, foster placement, or adoption of a child; to address the effects of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and for certain reasons related to military deployment;
• The BE HEARD Act, which is comprehensive legislation to address workplace harassment, including by extending federal protections against harassment and other forms of discrimination to all working people, promoting transparency and accountability in the workplace, clarifying that sex discrimination at work includes harassment and other forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and eliminating forced arbitration and the subminimum wage for tipped employees.

TAKE ACTION! Tell Congress to make pay equity for Native women a priority today and every day by advancing policies that move our nation toward equal pay!

Polls show that the public overwhelmingly supports the passage of fair pay policies! [3] It’s past time for Congress to act. Native women and their families urgently need the Paycheck Fairness Act, Healthy Families Act, FAMILY Act, and BE HEARD Act to close the wage gap and to ensure their economic security and opportunity. [4]

Native women, their families, and our economy need Congress to support and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, Healthy Families Act, and FAMILY Act! These policies will close the wage gap and pave the way for a more equitable future where all workers are paid what they rightfully earn.

Tell Congress to make pay equity for Native women a priority today and every day by advancing policies that move our nation toward equal pay!

Together we are a powerful voice for pay equity!

- Taylor, Namatie, Ruth, Kristin, and the whole MomsRising & MamásConPoder Team 

References:

[1] NWLC: Native Women Lose More Than $1.2 Million to the Racist and Sexist Wage Gap Over a 40-Year Career

[2] NWLC: The Wage Gap Robs Mothers of What They’re Owed  

[3] NPWF: Native Women and the Wage Gap

[4] NPWF: Beyond the Numbers: The Reality of Native Women's Pay Disparities

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