Under the coordination of NYWA’s Government Affairs Committee, the Equal Pay Coalition NYC (EPCNYC) has grown from an idea into a powerful collaboration of over 40 organizations. This consortium of civic organizations, advocates and experts is working together for Pay Equity through policy reform and legislative action on a local, state and federal level. EPCNYC was created in 2007 by NYWA, a not-for-profit and nonpartisan organization, in response to growing concern and mounting evidence of thecontinuing economic discrimination suffered by New York’s women, minorities and their families. We welcome organizations and individuals who want to identify with this fair pay campaign and work together to further these goals.

Equal Pay Day, 2011

On Tuesday, April 12, EPCNYC/NYWA marked Equal Pay Day by holding a very special event. April 12 symbolizes how far into 2011 women must work to earn what men earned in 2010.

With over 100 people in the audience wearing red and more viewing via live streaming, we watched and listened as NYC Comptroller John Liu released the first significant study on the disparities in NYC municipal workers based on gender.

No surprise to find that women experience a significant wage gap. The base salaries of women are on average 8% less than what men earn. When overtime is included, the wage gap widens to 20%.

Women with children are at a disadvantage in all sectors, but appear to encounter the greatest wage penalties (-21.4%) when working in City government.

"It's really pathetic that we keep having this conversation," Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito told the Village Voice. Nationally, women earn about $.77 to every dollar that men earn.

"Comptroller Liu's study is a first for NYC. It creates transparency and sets the mark for where we are today. Now government and the private sector must affirmatively work to improve these numbers in the future," states Beverly Neufeld, NYWA President and the head of the Equal Pay Coalition.

Take Action! Get Informed! Get Involved!

Join NYWA
and the
EQUAL PAY COALITION NYC

The full study and supporting documents can be found online at:
http://comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/opm/gender-equity

To learn more about pay equity, visit our Equal Pay Toolkit and our Pay Equity Resource Guide.
For information on Equal Pay go to www.equalpaynewyork.org.
Director: Beverly Neufeld (email: bcneufeld@gmail.com)