Latest In

Breaking News

Repeal of women’s pay equity excluded from omnibus bill in Minnesota

According to DFL Reps.

Jul 31, 2020
24.4K Shares
976.2K Views
Image has not been found. URL: http://images.americanindependent.com/2010/08/MahurinPointing_Thumb6.jpgAccording to DFL Reps. Marion Greene of Minneapolis and Erin Murphy of St. Paul, Republicans have pulled a repeal of pay equity from the omnibus state government operations bill. The controversial provision, termed the Local Government Pay Equity Act, would have eliminated a mechanism that ensures equal pay for women working for local government units.
“Pay equity for women is a serious issue that unfortunately still needs to be addressed,” Greene said in a statement. “This year, some legislators have addressed the issue by moving us backwards. Since HF7 was introduced my DFL colleagues and I have fought this bill and stood for equal pay for women.”
HF7passed the Government Operations and Elections committee on Wednesday by a party line vote, but the provision that would have repealed pay equity was pulled. HF7 was the original bill containing the repeal and is now the larger omnibus state government bill.
“When white women earn 76 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts in 2011 and the disparity is even worse for women of color, we cannot be idle,” Greene added.
TheMinnesota Independent first reported on the billin February when it was included in a larger bill which repealed a variety of local government mandates. Later that month, a series of greater Minnesota newspapers came out strongly against the measure.
“The Senate author called the bill to repeal pay equity ‘really stupid’ when he pulled the legislation,” Greene said, referring to Sen. John Carlson, R-Bemidji,who dropped the bill in the Senate and said it “would not see the light of day.”
“Women and girls across the state waited too long for Rep. [Steve] Drazkowski, the House author, to listen to our call to pull his bill,” she said. Drazkowski apparently heeded that call on Wednesday when the repeal was eliminated.
“Equality is not a partisan issue — it is an American ideal,” said Rep. Murphy. “We are glad we have removed this backwards provision, however work remains. In terms of equal pay for equal work, women in Minnesota are not yet equal. This issue demands our continued diligence. Minnesota’s pay equity law is one form of that diligence.”
Dexter Cooke

Dexter Cooke

Reviewer
Dexter Cooke is an economist, marketing strategist, and orthopedic surgeon with over 20 years of experience crafting compelling narratives that resonate worldwide. He holds a Journalism degree from Columbia University, an Economics background from Yale University, and a medical degree with a postdoctoral fellowship in orthopedic medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina. Dexter’s insights into media, economics, and marketing shine through his prolific contributions to respected publications and advisory roles for influential organizations. As an orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive knee replacement surgery and laparoscopic procedures, Dexter prioritizes patient care above all. Outside his professional pursuits, Dexter enjoys collecting vintage watches, studying ancient civilizations, learning about astronomy, and participating in charity runs.
Latest Articles
Popular Articles