Things You Can Do to Improve the Latina Pay Gap

This year for Latina Equal Pay, we talked to Monica Ramirez, the Founder and President of Justice For Migrant Women, about the gap that Latina workers, especially part-time and seasonal ones, still face. Monica has been doing this work since she was 14. Her family was a migrant family herself, and she is very familiar with the struggles migrant workers endure so the mission of Justice for Migrant Women is to educate lawmakers and other officials globally and throughout the U.S. about some of the issues that prevent migrant women from reaching their full potential and, even worse, pose a threat to their safety and security.

Latinas are paid .54 for every dollar made by white non-Hispanic men.

And the gap is even bigger with seasonal and part-time workers .46 for every dollar.

Fortunately, there are some things we, as a community, can start doing to change that:

1. We need to change the culture of pay secrecy. We’re told from a very early age not to ask our friends, co-workers, or family…how much they are making. And employers can take advantage of that because that leaves us with no real reference and we can’t determine if we are underpaid or not.
2. Vote for legislators who have in their agenda closing the pay gap and call them out if they don’t stick to that promise.
3. Vote with the dollar and be a conscious consumer. Where are we buying produce from? When going to the market, instead of buying what is cheaper, support organizations that are fighting for the rights of people and the environment.
4. Change the narrative about immigrants, are taking jobs and benefits.  And that is a false belief. Latinas are one of the largest groups in the country and we’re giving back to the community.