Hoosier women make 75 cents to every one dollar, yet Mike Pence won’t advocate for equal pay legislation
INDIANAPOLIS – If Mike Pence wants to tout his record as governor, we welcome the conversation. As today marks National Equal Pay Day – where does Mike Pence’s record stand on helping bridge the pay gap between Hoosier men and women? Easy answer: It’s nowhere to be found as Mike Pence has time and again voted against or ignored equal pay legislation as a politician.
Currently, Hoosier women make 75 cents to every one dollar earned by their male counterparts. Further, about two thirds of minimum wage workers in Indiana are women. While in Congress, Pence voted twice against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and once against the Paycheck Fairness Act. And during his tenure as governor, Mike Pence has said “encouraging more investment, job opportunities” were the best ways to “address” the pay gap between women and men.
“If Mike Pence truly wants Indiana’s economy to ‘reach its peak,’ then why has he consistently failed Hoosier women? By voting against the Lilly Ledbetter Act and by failing to advocate for equal pay for equal work, Hoosier wages continue to nosedive and families fall behind the rest of the nation,” said Drew Anderson, communications director. “When will Gov. Pence understand that women’s economic rights are economic rights for all families? Hoosier women want economic security in their pocketbooks – not some unemployment figure. It’s time that Mike Pence puts the economic well-being of all Hoosiers ahead of his ideology.”
Wage inequality for women adds to the economic insecurity experienced by many Hoosier workers. Last year, Hoosiers made only 86 cents to every one American dollar – causing Indiana to fall to 39th in per capita income. Mike Pence is quick to tout unemployment figures, but he fails to mention wage inequality for our Hoosier workers. Hardworking families want to see commonsense leaders like John Gregg, who support measures like equal pay for women, but also advocate for the creation of quality jobs in Indiana.
BACKGROUND INFO: MIKE PENCE ON EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN
Women don’t have pay equity in Indiana.
Hoosier women make $.75 on the dollar to men. “Median earnings for men in Indiana were $46,273 compared to $34,846 for women — an earnings ratio of just 75 percent, or 41st out of all states and the District of Columbia.” [AAUW, 9/2015]
Indiana ranks 41st of all states and the District of Columbia in pay equity. “Median earnings for men in Indiana were $46,273 compared to $34,846 for women — an earnings ratio of just 75 percent, or 41st out of all states and the District of Columbia.” [AAUW, 9/2015]
Mike Pence thrice voted against equal pay for women.
July 2007: Pence Voted Against H.R. 2831, The “Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Of 2007.” [H.R. 2831, 110th Congress, Vote 768, 7/31/07
January 2009: Pence Voted Against S. 181, The “Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Of 2009.” [S. 181, 111th Congress, Vote 37, 1/27/09]
January 2009: Pence Voted Against H.R. 12, The “Paycheck Fairness Act Of 2009.” [H.R. 12, 111th Congress, Vote 8, 1/9/09]
Pence Said He Wanted Women In Indiana To Make Every Bit As Much As Men, And Said The Way To Close Indiana’s Wage Gap Was Through Growing The Economy. Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, says she and other Democrats tried to remedy those issues this past legislative session when House Democrats offered an amendment creating a commission to study pay disparity. But it was blocked by Republicans. Lawson says the first step is studying the problem. “Start with state government and then you can ask others throughout the state of Indiana to also step up to the plate and do what’s necessary to make sure that the wage gap closes,” she says. Governor Mike Pence says he believes the way to address income disparity is to promote economic growth. “Creating an environment that encourages more investment, more job opportunities for Hoosiers is the best pathway forward toward increasing personal income for men and women in Indiana,” he says. [Howey Politics, 4/9/14]
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