International Women’s (today) Day: Women Still Trail Men in Pay After 100 Years (77 cents on the $)

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/07/international-womens-... /

By James Parks, Mar 7, 2008

One hundred years ago, 15,000 women marched through New York City on the first International Women’s Day, demanding shorter working hours, better pay, voting rights and the end to child labor.



Today, in virtually every country, women still face discrimination in the workplace. Consider that some 1.2 billion working women—about 40 percent of total world employment—earn less than men for the same jobs, are more likely to be unemployed and poor and face violence and harassment in the workplace.

To address these issues and bring them to the forefront, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and Global Unions federation are launching a two-year “Global Campaign for Decent Work, Decent Life for Women” campaign. The AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting in San Diego this week endorsed and joined the campaign.

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says:

I can think of no better way to honor those 15,000 women marched down the streets of New York 100 years ago than to ensure their legacy lives on. This campaign is an opportunity to build a better union movement, and ultimately, a better, more inclusive world that makes the most of the talents of all its citizens.

To mark International Women’s Day, unions across the country and world will highlight the plight of women workers. In Washington, D.C., the Maryland State/DC AFL-CIO is hosting a forum today on “Women in Leadership: Changing the Landscape of America.” Yvonne Scruggs-Leftwich, a professor at the National Labor College, will be the keynote speaker.

FULL story at link.