Pay discrimination comes in other forms. A newly hired woman may get a lower-paying assignment than a man starting work for the same employer. The first job starts her career path, and it can lead to a lifetime of lower pay. Women in administrative support and clerical jobs earn 20 percent less than men in those jobs. The gap is 4.7 percent for registered nurses, 12.5 percent for health technicians and 14.2 percent for social workers.
Families depend on working women.
For many people it's a matter of family survival. Unions increase wages for all workers. They also narrow the income gap that disadvantages women and minorities. On average union workers earn 33 percent more than their non-union counterparts, and for women the union advantage is even greater. The Daily Star.