Join us in recognizing 2SLGBTQ+ Equal Pay Awareness Day on Wednesday, June 17 and raising awareness about the economic challenges many 2SLGBTQ+ workers continue to face.
While many 2SLGBTQ+ workers still lack reliable wage data, research from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation estimates that 2SLGBTQ+ workers earn approximately 90 cents for every dollar earned by the typical worker in the United States. For transgender people and 2SLGBTQIA+ people of color, the pay inequities are even more severe.
“Studies show that roughly 22 percent of 2SLGBTQ+ workers live in poverty and often face pay disparities when compared to straight and cisgender workers,” said UFCW OUTreach Chair Nikki Rigano. “A union contract is often the only way to ensure that a member of our community is able rise above the poverty threshold. A strong union contract can ensure that 2SLGBTQ+ workers have access to equal pay and a level playing field. Now more than ever, workers should be able to look towards UFCW local unions to provide equal pay that lifts them out of poverty and provides language that protects them from discrimination.”
UFCW OUTreach has several free resources available to help local unions build stronger, more inclusive contracts, including a 2SLGBTQ+ Rights & Collective Bargaining Guide in English and French. These and other tools were designed to help strengthen workplace protections, advance equity, and support all workers on the job and are available to locals upon request.
Please join us in recognizing 2SLGBTQ+ Equal Pay Awareness Day on June 17. For more information about Equal Pay Days and related resources, click here.
If your local is highlighting equal pay issues or advocating for better wages during Equal Pay Days, please share your activities with Laura Goertzel at lgoertzel@ufcw.org.