Bridging the Gap for Women's Wages

Natascha Buehnerkemper

Eng102-013

12 October 2004

Essay #2

Bridging the Gap for Women's Wages

"Somehow, the unsexy issue of the paycheck--equal pay for the same or equivalent work--dropped off the economic agenda. But it never left the minds of women" (41). In her article entitled "A New Campaign for Pay Equity," liberal columnist Ellen Goodman outlines the problem concerning the wage gap between men and women. By describing the present position of the wage gap, Goodman points out that there are things being done by the government for the wage gap, which include enforcing the laws that are in existence and suggesting that jobs of equal value be paid equal wages. Goodman then states that, even though laws are in place and goals have been announced, there is still a considerable slack in the government's progress. She holds that the laws are not being enforced as well as they could be and that society needs to transform the way it views the value of women's work, or just work in general. "Underlying the new campaign for pay equity," Goodman emphasizes, "are attitudes that are changing faster than wages" (41). Here, she suggests that people are beginning to ponder why women's wages are lower. Goodman explains that in order for the issue to be solved, the changes will have to begin on a state level and move up to the national level as momentum and support are gained. Goodman concludes with an astounding statistic: Because of the gender gap, women's families lose $200 billion each year. This statistic helps Goodman enforce the idea that although there are improvements afoot, "[. . .] half a cent a year just won't cut it."

I can honestly say that the first time or two I read the essay, I found it hard to formulate an opinion on the topic covered. At first, I thought that maybe Goodman was victimizing women and just complaining. But the more the class delved into the topic, the more I saw that it was truly a problem in our society. My mother has worked in the same printing factory for more than twenty years. She started at the age of eighteen, at the lowest position possible and has worked her way up to becoming the second-most powerful person in the plant. Her title is Production