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The importance of labor unions to women’s equality

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Summary of a blog post from Daily Kos, viagra 40mg 03.11.2011

Kate Meyer, clinic a research intern for the National Council for Research on Women, accuses Republican senators of undermining collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin by voting for a bill which will severely curtail the power of the unions.

Why does this matter to women? Well, for a number of reasons:

  • Figures from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research show that women have become the majority of newly organized union members over the past 25 years in the USA
  • Unionized women workers make 88 cents for every dollar a man earns, whereas non-unionized women make only 81 cents
  • Union jobs lead to higher median weekly earnings for women. Unionized women make $911 on average, whereas non-unionized women make only $717.
  • Unions lead to job retention among low-income mothers, and can pressure employers to adopt safety measures, paid sick leave, and other lifelines for women.

According to research by Randy Albelda, Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts, 43% of single mothers, 38% of black women, and 46% of Latinas are in low-wage jobs.

A national attack on unions disproportionately denies single mothers and women of color stuck in low-wage jobs the opportunity to make a living wage, work a quality job, and reach economic security.

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