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From: zubbie@ihlpl.UUCP (Jeanette Zobjeck)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: opportunits, women
Message-ID: <210@ihlpl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 11-Jul-85 08:42:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpl.210
Posted: Thu Jul 11 08:42:31 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 11-Jul-85 16:32:21 EDT
References: <2159@watcgl.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 44

> 
> 
>  Women are paid less (in part anyway) because it is
>  expected that they will have a man to support them.
>  Men in turn are paid more because they have to support
>  a family.  So to those who complain that equal pay for
> 
>  John Chapman

I agree with John as far as he went ( what me agree with someone?!?!?)
but the extension should be made that equal pay is only part of the
issue. Equal acceptance as members of a work force and as part of society
is more important. Many power groups see the equal pay for equivalent
work issue as just another way to put more government control on
business.In the end the result may be that more work classes will be
down graded so that payscales remain the same with an added narrowing
of job responsibilites (sp) so that the only thing an employer need do
to keep things as they are is to define broader job responsibilites for
men on the basis that they (the current job holders) are more experienced
or some other bull**** and hence deserve more pay.
Regulating the pay of a job relative to another is not a place for
government.
I have worked in many different types of jobs and while I have not always
been fairly paid for my abilities  I have found that the more difficult
part of holding that job was to be accepted as able by my co-workers. 
If employers didnot distinguish (however subtly) between men and women
on the job the pay disparities would not exist. 
I know that I am at least as capable of doing my job as a man performing 
the same work. If I find that there is a co-worker (male or female) who
is smarter or more adept at the work I do I usually cuiltivate a learning
relationship with that person if possible. I have never thought that I
couldn't learn more. The end obviously is to become  as knowledgeable
and proficient at what I do as I am capable of. I have also found
that my superiors become aware of my abilites rapidly in this manner also.
In those jobs I have held which started out paying less than men
doing the same work were paid the disparity did not last any longer than
it took for me to show that I was worth the extra money.
Perhaps I should not have had to make that extra-extra effort but I 
earned what I got and that was often more than monetary.



-- 
Jeanette Zobjeck ihnp4!ihlpl!zubbie