March is Women’s History Month, a time for reflecting on the enduring fight for gender equity and justice. We know that the labor movement and feminist movement are intertwined at every stage; from organizing for more autonomy and fairer wages for factory workers around the turn of the century, to playing a critical role in passing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, we have the brave voices and contributions of countless women to thank for many of our country’s labor laws and supportive policies.
We also know that guaranteeing supportive workplaces is a key foundation for ensuring women’s economic and social equity, especially for young women entering the workforce and beginning their careers. These supports are especially critical for working women of color, who have played an instrumental role in fighting for women’s legal rights in the workforce and beyond. In addition to International Women’s Day on the 8th, March also includes Equal Pay Day, which falls on the 12th this year. Equal Pay Day is a day for calling attention to the gender and racial pay gap, which to this day causes working women across the board to earn significantly less than their male counterparts – a gap that is even wider for women of color.
For many women, a lifetime of pay inequity can begin with pregnancy discrimination and its impact on their careers. For too long, pregnant, postpartum and lactating women in need of simple workplace accommodations have been pushed off the job at a critical juncture for their families’ finances. However, following the passage of the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which guarantees the right to reasonable accommodations for workers nationwide, we are already seeing how these protections are making a world of difference in women’s lives and bringing us closer to finally closing the maternal wage gap, especially for women of color and those in physically demanding jobs.
But still, without a federal right to paid sick time, paid family and medical leave, or fair and flexible schedules, too many working women are left without the supportive policies they urgently need to protect their economic security while attending to their health and caregiving needs. This Women’s History Month and always, we at A Better Balance remain committed to honoring the legacy of feminist activists and labor leaders by working tirelessly to ensure working women can thrive, in the workplace and beyond.
