“Why I Wear Red:” A Message from John Coli Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 727
The Teamsters Local 727 office staff and I are all wearing red today in support of the fight for pay equity. Today, April 10th, Equal Pay Day, is symbolic for how many days into this new year an average American woman has to work to earn the same amount of pay an average man earned the previous year. By wearing red, we bring recognition to how far “in the red” women are compared to their male counterparts.
A woman makes nearly $0.20 less than every dollar a man earns. Inequities like this are the very things that Teamsters have always fought against, and union contracts resolve.
Local 727 contracts, for example, set pay rates and minimums based on job classification, not gender. Under Local 727 contracts, everyone is equal. By becoming a union member, you reap the reward of a union contract which resolves inequities in the workplace including pay.
I hope we can all stand together in the not-too-distant future and celebrate an end to equal pay day. As Teamster members, let us remember that we intend to help lead the fight to ensure that day arrives as soon as possible. Together we can make pay equity a reality.
Fraternally yours,
John Coli, Jr.
Secretary-Treasurer
Category: Politics, Union News
