Old Issue Needs to be Fixed

Why are we still talking about equal pay in 2013. Women are getting underpaid for the same jobs that men do and for some reason employers believe that this inequality is fair. I for one cannot see how underpaying a good staff member makes good business.

No matter what the gender, if you are doing a good job you should get good pay. It should not matter about your sex in payment for a job, as long as you hit your KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators), perform well in the role, have the needed experience, can learn and grow, and a good fit for the team and organisation there should be no issues. Why not pay the good staff member a decent wage so that they stay and grow with your company and not the competition.

Not only do we get underpaid in Australia for being female and under valued, there are some exceptions and I hope to be one.

In 1980, Oprah was doing the same job as the male co anchor and she got paid, $22,000, the other guy got paid $50,000. She went into the boss and wanted to know why she was not getting the same as her colleague. He said you don’t have a house, or kids. Her answer was, “I’m doing the same job as he is, I should be getting the same amount of money”

 

As a mother who has daughters I would like to make sure that their skills are valued and will be paid well in line with the same role that a boy/man will get in the future. Why are we still thinking women should earn less. Many women have the responsibility to pay for the roof over their heads, food on the table, education for their kids, clothes, and more! If we underpay women it hurts the family and flows on to others as well.

How about we just address the skills for the role that the person does and pay for what they contribute rather than if they are man or a woman. If you are doing the same job pay the same. If the job is different or requires more education or experience, then pay more for the person how has more experience. Easy don’t you think?

In the United States the The Paycheck Fairness Act was recently blocked in the Senate, and this is not news it has happened before. I am not sure why this would be blocked and not accepted as matter of course.Why would the government block fair pay for all? Seems unfair to me. What about you?

I am not an expert but I think that pay should be fair for all if the job is the same. It is a fair ask I think. The only thing that would be different is if you had more experience or higher education than the other person, at least you can get the further education as long as you are prepared to do it.

Erin Delmore wrote on MSNBC: Equal pay stalled over paycheck fairness act

What do you think?

The figures are not great here in Australia and needs to be fixed.