Civil Rights Today: Equal Pay
The problem at hand today, in this case, is that of equal pay for women to that of men. Women these days are paid roughly 83% percent that of their male counterparts. The law states equal pay for equal work, but this can be tossed around when it comes to businesses. For example, a person on an assembly line may have to lift something that is heavier than the person farther down the line. This person is going to be paid more regardless of their gender because they have to lift more.
Regarding the impact of the past, a push for fair wages did not start until the 1960's but was considered in the early 1900's. When men left for World War 1, women had to take over the men's jobs, but for less pay. This is what started the controversy over the still known unequal pay problem. Another example of this impact can be seen in 1968's United Kingdom. At a Ford Motor Company plant, women became outraged to find out that they were being paid 87% of the males who were working in the plant. In addition, the job that they were doing, sewing seats for cars, was downgraded to be "unskilled".
The reason this civil rights issue is persistent today, is because employers discriminating against women, and not following the Equal Pay Act of 1970. Today, women have a hard time knowing if they are being discriminated against because they cannot see their fellow employee's paychecks, and thus do not know if their pay is less than it should be. Ironically, it takes a lot of time and money to file a case if one is assumed to have been getting payed less that someone else. Fortunately though, the pay gap has been declining ever since the Equal Pay Act was passed back in 1970.
Unfortunately, more than 50 year since the rebuttal of unequal pay, discrimination is downplaying this civil right of equal pay for all.
Sources : US Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission
Striking-Women.org
Regarding the impact of the past, a push for fair wages did not start until the 1960's but was considered in the early 1900's. When men left for World War 1, women had to take over the men's jobs, but for less pay. This is what started the controversy over the still known unequal pay problem. Another example of this impact can be seen in 1968's United Kingdom. At a Ford Motor Company plant, women became outraged to find out that they were being paid 87% of the males who were working in the plant. In addition, the job that they were doing, sewing seats for cars, was downgraded to be "unskilled".
The reason this civil rights issue is persistent today, is because employers discriminating against women, and not following the Equal Pay Act of 1970. Today, women have a hard time knowing if they are being discriminated against because they cannot see their fellow employee's paychecks, and thus do not know if their pay is less than it should be. Ironically, it takes a lot of time and money to file a case if one is assumed to have been getting payed less that someone else. Fortunately though, the pay gap has been declining ever since the Equal Pay Act was passed back in 1970.
Unfortunately, more than 50 year since the rebuttal of unequal pay, discrimination is downplaying this civil right of equal pay for all.
Sources : US Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission
Striking-Women.org