Despite receiving scant public attention, equal pay remains an urgent concern for millions of working women. Since women s earnings are essential to their households, they believe equal pay will help their families. Ninety-four percent say it is very important. Thirty-seven percent report that making ends meet has gotten worse in the last five years, compared with 29 percent who think it has gotten better. Almost one-third say their current job does not provide equal pay for equal work, revealing a great gap between what women want from their jobs and what they get from their jobs.
Good benefits are as critical as good wages in providing economic security.
Eighty-seven percent say that secure, affordable health insurance is very important. Seventy-nine percent say that pension and retirement benefits are very important. Eighty-nine percent say education and training are important, but only 61 percent say these opportunities currently exist on their jobs. Working women think things are getting worse, not better. For all the official statements and media coverage about a booming economy, job security is a major concern.