OPINION: It's time Latina women get equal pay

By Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard with April Verrett

The landmark Equal Pay Act of 1963 made it illegal for employers to pay unequal wages to men and women who perform substantially the same work. I’m grateful this legislation and subsequent bills championed by Democrats in Congress have helped to address our nation’s gender pay gap and wage inequalities. Unfortunately, nearly six decades after the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, a persistent wage gap between men and women workers continues to exist. This unfair disparity disproportionally impacts women of color, including millions of hardworking Latinas nationwide.

As the first Mexican-American woman to serve in Congress, and as the Member who is proud to represent thousands of hardworking Latinas across California’s 40th Congressional District, this ongoing wage disparity is personal and deeply concerning to me.

The wage gap’s impact on Latinas is an alarming and serious injustice. It highlights a discouraging lack of recognition of and gratitude for the immense contributions of Latinas to our nation and our economy. It is far too common that Latina workers spend many long and thankless hours working in challenging jobs on which our nation relies without the appropriate recognition or financial compensation.

According to data compiled by the Equal Pay Today campaign, Latinas across America typically earn on average only $0.57 to each dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. For working Latina mothers, the wage gap is even more stark, as they earn on average only $0.46 for every dollar made by white, non-Hispanic fathers. Because of this persistent wage gap, it takes Latinas on average until October 21 to earn that which white, non-Hispanic men made the previous year. That’s why on Thursday, October 21, we will recognize Latina Equal Pay Day to raise national awareness of these troubling inequities.

While Latinas carry out essential roles across many different industries nationwide, they are particularly overrepresented in the caregiving sector. According to data from the National Women’s Law Center and the Economic Policy Institute, respectively, Latinas comprise one in every five child care workers and over 25% of domestic caregiving workers across America. As our nation continues its ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important that we recognize just how crucial the many contributions of Latina caregivers are to our communities.

The pay gap Latinas face harms their personal financial security and that of their families. It also hampers our nation’s economic growth. The National Women’s Law Center reports that Black women and Latinas working in child care face poverty rates that are over 50% higher than those of women child care providers of other ethnic backgrounds. Research by the Economic Policy Institute has also found that Latinas working in domestic caregiving roles face significantly higher poverty rates than their non-Latina peers.

Thankfully, there are solutions to these inequities on the horizon. My Democratic colleagues and I are working hard alongside President Joe Biden to address this issue by passing the Build Back Better Act. This sweeping legislation includes a variety of provisions to invest in the American people, set future generations up for success, and assist our economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes targeted investments in Minority-Serving Institutions. It also includes two historic investments in early child care and education that would strengthen Latinas’ financial security: Two years of universal preschool and a sliding scale limit on child care costs for families. With these new investments in child care, the National Women’s Law Center reports wages for Hispanic child care workers would increase by 24% and that women’s participation in the workforce would rise significantly.

The Build Back Better Act’s investments in child care would also benefit Latina mothers. The Center for American Progress reports that 41.4% of Latinas with children were the primary or sole financial providers for their families during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. When coupled with the lack of equal pay for working Latina mothers, Child Trends reports that child care expenses often consume more than one-third of Latina mothers’ incomes. Thankfully, a study from the National Women’s Law Center has found that with these new investments, Latinas with children would enjoy a substantial net increase in their income over the course of their lifetimes, with Latina mothers raising two children seeing an additional $115,000 on average in savings and earnings.  

On Latina Equal Pay Day, we must do all we can to raise awareness that Latina workers are not compensated fairly for their essential contributions to our families, communities, and economy. We must make a firm commitment to relieve Latinas of financial burdens by passing the Build Back Better Act and investing in accessible and affordable child, elder, and disability care. And we must work to create a federal paid leave program so Latinas and parents of all backgrounds don’t need to choose between earning a paycheck or caring for their families.

It’s well past time for Latina women to be paid that which they deserve due to their extensive contributions to our nation. I encourage my constituents to spread the word about Latina Equal Pay Day to raise awareness of this issue and help us implement lasting change. Going forward, I promise to continue to work hard in Congress to pass the Build Back Better Act and other measures to provide needed support for the many hardworking, inspiring Latinas I am so proud to represent and millions of others nationwide.

Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard represents California’s 40th Congressional District, which contains the communities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, Cudahy, Downey, Huntington Park, Maywood, Paramount, Vernon, and parts of Bellflower, East Los Angeles, Florence-Firestone, and South Los Angeles.

April Verrett is President of SEIU Local 2015, California’s largest union, and the nation’s largest long-term care union, representing more than 400,000 long-term care providers—nearly 90% of them women, nearly one third of them Latina—working in both nursing homes and private homes throughout California. The Union has launched its Time for $20 campaign to establish a $20 wage floor for all long-term care workers. See www.seiu2015.org/timefor20.