Month: February 2017

Equal Pay Day Lunch and Learn 2017

For over 15 years, women in Jacksonville have been observing Equal Pay Day to raise awareness of the gender pay gap.  This year the five women’s groups collaborating on the event are the Jacksonville Branch of AAUW, the Jacksonville Branch of NOW, the Jacksonville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Women’s Center of Jacksonville, and the UNF Women’s Center.   The exact amount of the pay gap varies, depending on the data used and the way it is configured.   But whether the gap is 79.6 cents on the dollar or 82 cents it is still unacceptable.   Over the 35 to 40 years of a work life this adds up to an amount estimated to be at least $500,000 for high school grads to $700,000 to one million for college grads.  At the current rate the gap won’t be closed for 50 years.  Audrey Moran, Past President of the Jax Chamber of Commerce, will give the welcoming introduction.  The program will focus on the background of the problem, a discussion  of personal experiences and observations of discrimination in the workforce and suggestions on how women can take action.
Join us for an informative lunch hour and networking opportunity.   Equal Pay has been mentioned as one of the important issues for women in the recent marches.  This is an opportunity for us to have our voices heard in Jacksonville.
In addition to the street parking in front of the Garden Club there is a large parking lot on the water at the rear of the garden.

State Leadership Conference

About State Leadership Conference:

  • Learn practical stuff for the branch and network with members from other branches!
  • Starts Sunday, April 2 at 3 pm and ends on Monday, April 3 at 3 pm
  • Features: keynote speaker Sonia Garcia, workshops on finance, branch nuts and bolts, public policy, STEM
  • Hotel: Hyatt Regency Sarasota. Rate is $139 plus tax; reservations by March 9, 888-421-1442 or online at http://aws.passkey.com/go/aauwfl
  • Look for registration form in your email!

AAUW FL Lobby Days 2017

Be There at the Capitol! March 14-15 (Rally is part of Lobby Days!)

  • Rally for Equal Pay with other women’s groups on Tuesday, March 14, 12 noon, Fourth Floor Rotunda in front of the Senate Chamber
  • Dinner together Tuesday evening TBA
  • Panel discussion with legislators on Wednesday morning, 8:00 in Room 28, House Office Building
  • Visit and advocate with your own legislators and team up with others
  • Training session on Monday evening at the hotel

What you need to know:

  • Dates: check in at hotel Monday evening, March 13, check out March 15. Lobby Days will end around noon March 15.
  • Hotel: Fairfield Inn I-10 North, 3219 N. Monroe St., Tallahassee. Rate is $109 plus 12.5% tax. Free breakfast and Wi-Fi. Reservation cutoff is February 25.
  • Stipend: graduated scale ($50-$80) depending on your driving distance plus $50 to help with lodging. This is to help with expenses, not cover them.
  • You will be provided with a concise list of bills to support or oppose that have been vetted by the national office, with talking points. We will also have AAUW materials for you to leave with the legislators’ offices.
  • Contact Pat DeWitt, aauwfldewitt@gmail.com, for updates

Public Policy February 2017

By Carolyn Smith

CALLS TO ACTION

  1. Call your FL House and Senate Representatives to support FL Senate 410 and House 319 (jointly called the Helen Gordon Davis Fair Pay Act).

These bills, aimed at closing the pay gap in Florida, have been filed by FL State Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando), FL House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz (D-Tampa), and FL Rep. Lori Berman (D-Lantana). PR release: these bills would close the pay gap by 1) “updating and clarifying Florida’s current law to ban employers from paying workers differently based on sex or gender”; by 2) delineating “which reasons employers can use to pay employees differently – things like education, skill-set, and experience”; 3) prohibiting “mommy tracking” and inquiries about or screening employees on their prior salary history. . . .” The bills would also increase civil penalties for violations.

Senate 410 is currently before four committees regarded as relevant to the issue of employment discrimination: Government Oversight and Accountability; Rules; Commerce and Tourism; and Judiciary. Duval’s District 6 Audrey Gibson is on the latter two. Please call her for support: 359-2553

  1. Join the Equal Pay Day Rally, FL senate, Tallahassee, March 14, 2017, and /or AAUS-FL Lobby Days, March 13-15, 2017.

            For information, registration, rides, etc., contact Pat DeWitt, AAUW-FL State Public Policy: aauwfldewitt@gmail.com

  1. Sign AAUW’s electronic postcard, aauw.org

This postcard, automatically forwarded to our respective FL representatives in US Senate and US House, demands that elected officials acknowledge women’s priorities as America’s priorities. You can add to the three priorities listed by AAUW. To be circulated within 100 days of the Million Women March.

  1. Call US Senators to Vote NO on Sen. Jeff Sessions as Attorney-General and Betsy DeVos and Education Director.

Jeff Sessions has a history of voting against civil rights, including those for women. DeVos has never been a teacher, never attended a public school, and strongly supports charters and vouchers at expense of public schools.

  1. Call US Senators to support the Protect American Families From Unnecessary Registration and Deportation Act of 2017.

            This act would prohibit the criminalization and federally-funded registry of individuals based on race, place of origin, religion, and/or ethnicity.

INFORMATION

  1. Recent AAUW Actions:
  2. National and Branch: Many members marched in Million Women March to send message that women’s rights are human rights.
  3. National and coalition partners: Sent four letters to relevant Congressional members:
  4. to oppose the global gag rule (blocking aid to foreign entities using their own funds to provide information about or services for legal abortions, a block that affects UNICEF, non-profits working to stop Ebola, malaria, and hunger, OXFAM, and other related groups).
  5. to support DACA (the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program).
  6. to support equal access to CTE (career and technical educations programs).
  7. to support the Protect American Families Act (sent Jan. 5 on behalf of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
  8. National: praised Imeleme Umana (the first black woman to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review).
  1. Recent Congressional Actions with some impact on women:
  2. HR 7 (the gag rule on abortion resources, information, etc.) passed the House 238-183. Rutherford, Yoho: Yes. Lawson: No
  3. Senate Confirmations:
  4. Gen James Mattis, Sect. of Defense; Gen. James Kelly, Sect. Homeland Security; SC Gov. Nikki Haley, ambassador to UN. Senators Nelson and Rubio: Yes.
  5. 2. Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo, Director CIA. Nelson, No; Rubio, Yes.
  6. JKK Profile in Courage Award nomination: US Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) has nominated former acting Attorney-General Sally Yates for refusing to defend Trump’s executive order banning refugees and immigrants from 7 largely Muslim countries. For her refusal, Yates was fired.