Engineers & Scientists of California Local 20, IFPTE AFL & CIO

The IFPTE Women’s Solidarity Network (WSN) is gearing up for our 6th Women & Unions International Speaker Series. The focus of this upcoming program will center on bringing the gender wage gap to the forefront of our discussions by examining pay equity and equal pay. Deep disparities in earnings between men and women still exist and the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on women’s participation in the workforce. The most recent estimates show women across th...e USA earned about 82 cents for every dollar earned by men. Canadian women earn an average of 88 cents for every dollar earned by men. The gap is wider for women who are Indigenous, living with a disability, racialized or newcomers. At this time of year, many countries around the world are observing equal pay day which symbolizes how far into the year the average women must work (in addition to their earnings last year) in order to have earned what the average man had earned the entire previous year, regardless of experience or job type. The exact day differs year by year based on statistics gathered. In 2021, it is March 24 for the USA and April 7 for Canada. Join the WSN for this important conversation about the gender wage gap as we examine how women are faring in today’s workforce and economy.

Happy #cesarchavezday ! Today we celebrate his legacy- a commitment to social justice, human dignity, and the work that improved the lives of farmworkers. Every day we carry your message and organize. Sí, se puede!

Wrapping up our celebration of Women's History Month, today we are spotlighting a strong and fearless ESC leader, our own Dr. Deb Deveno, O.D. Learn more about Deb and find other Women's History Month resources at www.ifpte20.org/2021-womens-history-month #womenshistorymonth #womenshistorymonth2021

#EqualPayDay #UnionYes In the middle of World War II, the War Labor Board declared on Sept. 26, 1942: equal pay for equal work. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, an amendment to the National Labor Relations Act aimed at eliminating sex-based wage discrimination.... And yet, women still earn less than men. Women are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to men. Women in the workplace are undervalued and underpaid. If you disaggregate the data by race, there are even larger wage gaps for Black women, Latinas, women from certain Asian communities, and Native Hawaiian and Native American women. Transgender women’s earnings drop by nearly one-third after transition. A union contract can help bridge the wage gap. Hourly wages for women represented by a union are 5.8% higher on average than the wages nonunion women earn with similar characteristics. The union difference is real.

Today, the ESC Local 20 Optometry Unit Board swore in and welcomed, Jackie Wang, O.D. as the new District 3 Representative for Walnut Creek/Park Shadelands, Martinez, Antioch, Pleasanton, Livermore, Vallejo, Napa, Fairfield, and Vacaville. Congratulations! After a year of virtual meetings, Kelly O'Shea, District 5 Representative, keenly noted that despite talking weekly with other Board members about patient safety and building a strong union, she has never met some of them in person and has no idea how tall they are! Thank you to all the union leaders leader who have kept us all together, virtually and IRL, during this pandemic!

Professionals at Federal Defenders of San Diego just voted 97.5% to join ESC Local 20! Congratulations on this great victory! Welcome to the ESC family! #unionyes #esclocal20 #ifpte20

We have a long way to go on pay equity, eliminating harassment & discrimination at work and gender justice. A union contract promotes equality. Let's recommit this year to restoring the freedom of EVERY woman to have a #union on the job #InternationalWomensDay