Editor,
Some say the city has taken a step forward by giving preferred treatment on city contract bidding to employers who pay women within 10 percent of what they pay their male employees for the same work. So, let me get this straight: if you pay women less than men, you get preferred treatment in city contracts? Am I missing something here?
How on earth anyone, including Mayor Richard Berry and the City Council, can justify preferential treatment to an employer who pays women 1 to 10 percent less than men is beyond my comprehension. The new ordinance just gives legitimacy to gender-based wage bias.
If the mayor really wants to eliminate gender bias, just pass an ordinance that gives the bid bonus points to any employer who pays women the same as men for the same work. Why is it that the mayor thinks only being a little gender biased is worthy of benefit? How about reaching for no bias, Mr. Mayor?
Sincerely,
Jeffery Paul
Daily Lobo reader
