AAUW CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE FORUMS CANCELLED

Julian Schreibman and Joel Tyner

The Democratic Party’s Congressional Primary on Tuesday, June 26 will take place without a forum where the public can evaluate the two candidates side by side. Tyner and Schreibman, vying for the opportunity to replace Congressman Hinchey on the Democratic ticket, have yet to appear before the public on the same podium. Last week, Woodland Pond where the only public forum was scheduled, announced it was closed to the public.

The AAUW Kingston branch sought to fill that gap in the democratic process. AAUW is a nonpartisan organization that has a commitment to educating voters but does not back individual candidates.

The AAUW proposed several potential forums to the candidates. None will take place. Julian Schreibman’s staff responded that he is unable to attend any of the times proposed. AAUW’s national policy requires that for a forum to occur at least two candidates must agree to participate. Unfortunately this leaves the public in this new district with no venue to hear the candidates in person.

AAUW Kingston encourages the public to watch the Daily Freeman video of the Woodland Pond invitation-only forum and to seek out opportunities to meet the two candidates at their separate appearances this week.

Women’s Workforce Bill Needs Your Support

 NEW YORK WOMEN NEED GOOD JOBS!

IT IS THE END OF SESSION AND WE NEED YOUR HELP!

EMAIL YOUR NEW YORK POLICYMAKERS TODAY!

 
In the next few days the NYS Assembly and the NYS Senate will vote on the Women’s Workforce Bill (A.9020b/S.6429a)

This legislation will help close the gender wage gap in NY by improving the information and services women receive from New York’s workforce development system. People will now have information on the gender wage gap and a better understanding about higher paying jobs and the level of wages they need to make to support their families.   And, Democratic Assembly member Ellen Jaffee and Republican Senator Joe Robach are the sponsors showing bi-partisan support.

 Time is short…Click to send this message now… 

NYS ELECTED OFFICIALS: VOTE FOR THIS BILL! GOVERNOR CUOMO: SIGN THIS BILL INTO LAW!

 Click the link below to log in and send your message:
http://www.votervoice.net/groups/NEYWCA/advocacy/?IssueID=29013&AdminPreview=True&SiteID=-1

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE YWCA FOR THESE LINKS, LEADERSHIP AND GREAT VIDEO!

 

NEW YORK STATE PAY EQUITY COALITION (NYSPEC):  Member Organizations:Statewide: American Association of University Women (AAUW), Business & Professional Women’s Clubs, NYS Federation, Inc. (BPW), Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), DC 37 (AFSCME/AFL-CIO), League of Women Voters, NYS (LWV), National Association For Female Executives (NAFE), National Organization for Women (NYS), Northeast Council of YWCA, NYS Girl Scout Legislative Network, NYS Nurses Association (NYSNA), NYS United Teachers (NYSUT), Public Employees Federation (PEF), Service Employee Int’l Union (SEIU) (AFL-CIO), United Public Service Employees Union (UPSEU), United University Professions (UUP), Women’s Sports Foundation, Regional: BPW District III (4 Capital District Chapters), CSEA Nassau Local 830, Capital District Labor-Religion Coalition, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (Nassau County & Capital District Chapters), Cortland YWCA Regional, Long Island Women’s Agenda (LIWA) Long Island Progressive Coalition, NAACP, Islip Town & Saratoga County Branches, New York Women’s Agenda, Founding NYSPEC Member: Women on the Job

Forum for Democratic primary candidates by invitation-only

Unexpectedly the forum that will take place on Monday, June 18th at Woodland Pond has been closed to the public. Attendance is by invitation only. It is the only forum scheduled.
We will post information about any recording that may be broadcast.
Not exactly democracy in action…

Update: Thanks to the Freeman. They will livestream the forum.

Picnic in the Rain

Yes, the annual picnic will go on as planned — but, indoors. The major challenge may be the trip from the car to the door, so please plan to carpool.

See you this afternoon!

 

AAUW Criticizes Today’s Procedural Defeat of the Paycheck Fairness Act


Senate Misses Opportunity to Support Women’s Economic Security

WASHINGTON – The American Association of University Women (AAUW) sharply criticized today’s procedural defeat of the Paycheck Fairness Act by a 52-47 vote in the U.S. Senate. The Senate’s rejection of the bill comes after the House of Representatives voted 233-180 against considering the Paycheck Fairness Act last week, despite widespread support of the legislation from the White House and many ordinary Americans committed to basic fairness and equality. The bill was introduced by the Senate’s trailblazing dean of women, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). The House version was introduced by longtime equal pay champion Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT).
“This was a missed opportunity for the Senate to do the right thing for women and the nation,” said AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE. “When women are paid less, it hurts them and their families, and it undermines the U.S. economy. How lawmakers can turn down this commonsense economic policy is truly a mystery.”
By some estimates, women could lose up to $1 million over a 40-year career because of the pay gap. In higher-paying fields such as law, the disparity can result in even greater lifetime losses. Individual choices can affect the gender pay gap, but these choices are not the whole story — and, of course, these “choices” themselves are constrained by stereotype and discrimination. AAUW’s report Behind the Pay Gap controlled for factors known to affect earnings such as education and training, parenthood, and hours worked and found that college-educated women still earn less than men — despite having the same major and occupation as their male counterparts.
“Equal pay should not be a partisan issue. In fact, before the Senate took up the Paycheck Fairness Act in 2010, equal pay was something on which we could all agree. Previous bills brought to the floor with the goal of equal pay for equal work passed with bipartisan votes — until now.” said Lisa Maatz, AAUW director of public policy and government relations. “Women feel the sting of unfair pay all the time — at the grocery store, at the gas station, and in retirement. This isn’t political to them; it’s just common sense. And it’s that kind of kitchen-table economics that women will take with them to the polls in November.”
The Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 3220) would have deterred wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and barring retaliation against workers who disclose their wages to co-workers. Currently, employers can penalize and even fire employees for talking about their salaries.
As fair pay icon Lilly Ledbetter said on AAUW Dialog, “Giving women my Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act without the Paycheck Fairness Act is like giving them a nail without the hammer.”
AAUW is widely credited with keeping pay equity on the nation’s radar. Behind the Pay Gap redefined the debate on pay equity and reenergized the drive to pass needed pay equity legislation. This leadership helped to set the stage for the adoption of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in January 2009, the first major piece of legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama.
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The American Association of University Women (AAUW) advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Since 1881, AAUW has been one of the nation’s leading voices promoting education and equity for women and girls. AAUW has a nationwide network of more than 100,000 members and donors, 1,000 branches, and 600 college/university institutional partners. Since AAUW’s founding 130 years ago, members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political. AAUW’s commitment to educational equity is reflected in its public policy advocacy, community programs, leadership development, conventions and conferences, national partnerships, and international connections.

Breaking Through Barriers

Some call this a War on Women and many days it feels like there are more barriers being erected than torn down. AAUW is nonpartisan. That means we don’t support specific candidates, but we do take positions on specific issues that impact equity for women and girls. Here are some of our recent and upcoming activities.

  • Lobby Day in Albany: we met with our elected representatives about pay equity. In NYS women earn 83 cents for every dollar a man in a comparable job earns. While the Assembly passed pay equity, the Senate never brought the bills to the floor for debate or a vote.  AAUW branches state-wide will be pursuing moving the Pay Equity bills onto the Senate floor next spring.
  • Unhappy Hour: the branch met at Keegan Ales on Pay Equity Day, April 17, to spread the word about our unhappiness that women still earn less than men for the same job. We continue to be unhappy as both the State Senate and the Federal Congress resist even talking about pay equity. Make your elected representatives aware of your position.
  • Miss Representation Screening: The branch screened Miss Representation at the Rosendale Theatre to increase awareness of the many ways that girls and young women are unfairly portrayed in the media. The proceeds help provide local scholarships.  Now we have a project underway to promote media literacy and awareness regarding the misrepresentation of women and girls in the media. If you’d like to participate in this project, contact Adele Calcavecchio.
  • Cancelled … Candidate Forums starting with a June 23 forum before the Congressional primary June 26. Invited candidates: Joel Tyner, Julian Schreibman, and Chris Gibson. Additional forums for state candidates will be scheduled before the state and local primaries September 11 and the general election November 8.
  • Get Out the Vote activities: Help us manage voter registration and voter education, especially focused on young adults who support equity issues. Interested? Contact Susan Holland.

Stay up to date on these and other issues and events by subscribing to our enewsletter.

Let’s extend the deadline to ratify the ERA

Ask Senator Schumer to co-sponsor the extension

ERA Button

The ERA, as you know, is not dead. Nor has it been ratified.

Last year Tammy Baldwin (WI) submitted a resolution to remove the seven year deadline. This spring my Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) submitted SJ Res. 39 to remove the deadline. Recently he was here at my retirement community and spoke eloquently about the need for ERA and that he believes the deadline can be removed. The Resolution will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee in a few months. Florida is working furiously to ratify.Earlier this year the House in Virginia ratified.

Getting the three states is not out of the question.

WHAT WE NEED: Sen. Schumer is on the Judiciary Committee and has not signed on as a co-sponsor. We need calls to his office 202-224-6542 as soon as possible.

– Susan Hoover, AAUW NYS Public Policy Chair.

The ERA was written in 1923 by Alice Paul, suffragist leader and founder of the National Woman’s Party.  She and the NWP considered the ERA to be the next necessary step after the 19th Amendment (affirming women’s right to vote) in guaranteeing “equal justice under law” to all citizens.

bullet Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.
bullet Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
bullet Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

AAUW Kingston at the Women’s Health & Fitness Expo

AAUW Kingston's Women's Health Expo Booth 2012

Several branch volunteers spend a great day talking with many of the thousands of women at the Expo Saturday. We heard lots of concern that the country is moving backwards when it comes to the issues women care about. Here’s a picture of our booth.

Thanks to volunteers Susan Holland, Vivi Hlavsa, Susan Hirsch, Dhere Dorian, Lydia Mellos, Erica Weiss, Marge Roberts who worked the booth with Ruth Wahtera, and Ruth Bean and Delores LaChance who helped set up on Friday night.

Play Games for Scholarships

Bridge / Cards & Games Social

Fun and Games & Fabulous Desserts

Bring Your Friends, Cards and Games

(Scrabble, Mahjong, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, etc.)

Wed. May 16th, 1:00-4:00 PM

At the

Kingston Library Community Room

Sponsored by AAUW Education Fund

$10 per person for scholarships

Reservations by Monday 5/14/2012: 246-4507

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys: the Pay Equity Vote

Top Row Good Guys: Didi Barrett, Kevin Cahill
Bottom Row Bad Guys: Clifford Crouch, Peter Lopez

The Good Guys

Kudos to Assemblyman Kevin Cahill who not only voted for A06130, the NYS pay equity bill, he co-sponsored it. And, to new Red Hook-based Assemblywoman Didi Barrett. They support equal pay for equal work. Thank you.

The Bad Guys

You should know, however, that Assemblypeople Peter Lopez (Saugerties and Greene Cty) and Clifford Crouch (western Ulster) both voted against the pay equity bill last week.

Senator Bonacic didn’t have to vote. The NYS Senate didn’t even bother to bring a pay equity bill out of committee. It was clear, however, when we visited his office in Albany on Pay Equity Day, that the Senator is opposed to the pay equity bill.

The Kingston AAUW wants our elected representatives to know that
how they vote effects how we vote.