EDITOR:

Imagine two average U.S. workers, working at the same average U.S. job. They work and work all the way through to Dec. 31, 2017, then sit and consider their paychecks for the whole year.

Because they’re average, they probably wish those paychecks were higher. The man sighs, shrugs, and gets ready to earn his 2018 paychecks.

The woman sighs too, but determines to work and work some more, until her total earnings add up to what the man got for 2017. She works through January, past the Winter Olympics; she works through February, past Valentine’s Day; she works through March and its Madness; she works past April Fool’s Day, all the way to Tuesday, April 10, 2018.

Finally! She did it! This average American working woman has finally earned the same amount of money as the average American working man, working the same job, received in 2017. But now, of course, she’s way behind on 2018.

April 10, Equal Pay Day, marks this fundamental unfairness.

Throughout the United States, on average, working women earn 80 cents for every dollar a working man in an equivalent job makes. Over a 40-year working career, that average man gets a whopping $418,800 more. If that average man retires at age 60, the comparable average woman has to work all the way to 70 before she catches up.

Michigan has nothing to brag about here; last year we ranked a miserable 43rd out of the 50 states, and this year we rank an even more miserable 45th. While 80 cents is the U.S. average, in Michigan the working woman gets only 74 cents — in our First Congressional District, a measly 72 cents. While $418,800 is the amount lost by the average U.S. woman, in Michigan the comparable figure is over half a million dollars, $519,720. Instead of having to work to age 70 to catch up, the average Michigan woman would have to work to age 74.

This is not just a problem of fairness. It affects families, children, retirement, Social Security, and the economy of our region, our state, and the whole nation.

Two legislative remedies languish in Congress: the Paycheck Fairness Act (S819/HR1869) would strengthen penalties for equal pay violations and prohibit retaliation against workers who discuss their wages — often the only way women have to find out what is actually going on. And the Pay Equity for All Act (HR2418) would ban the use of salary history to determine future pay, to help stop the perpetuation of past discrimination.

Celebrate Equal Pay Day, April 10, by calling Michigan’s Senators — Gary Peters at 202-224-6221 or 906-226-4554 and Debbie Stabenow at 202-224-4822 or 906-228-8756 — and Congressman Jack Bergman at 202-225-4736 or 906-273-2227. Tell them women and families can’t afford to wait, and ask them to work for the passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Pay Equity for All Act.

Without these laws, women and their families are stuck “in the red.” Show your concern by wearing red on Tuesday, April 10, Equal Pay Day.

Karlyn Rapport

Public Policy Representative, Marquette Branch of American Association of University Women (AAUW)

Katherine Larson

Marquette Branch of AAUW