It was an Unhappy Hour at The Design Barn in Hebron on Thursday as members and guests of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Valparaiso Chapter gathered to mark Equal Pay Day in March.
Coordinator Sandy Holt said that the local AAUW chapter decided to mark Equal Pay Day with an event and call it Unhappy Hour because they are not happy about the gender wage gap.
“We wanted to spread the word into the community about the inequities that women face in the workplace and what we can do about it,” said Holt. “It’s a sad fact that Indiana ranks 44th in pay equity. Change can’t come fast enough.”
The ticketed event included dinner, Equal Pay trivia, door prizes, and guest speakers Rosalie Levinson and Jean Smarto.
Speaker Rosalie Levinson was a law professor at Valparaiso University until her retirement in 2016, after a 43-year career. Levinson authored a five-volume treatise as well as a textbook on civil rights. In 2006, she received the Athena Award for her work in advancing women’s rights.
Levinson spoke about the various statistics locally, statewide and nationally that affect women in the workplace.
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“We earn, as women, 84 cents for every dollar earned by men, which is just a few cents more than in 2002,” said Levinson. “At this rate, it won’t be until 2088 that we will bridge that gap.”
“Lower wages are not just a burden on women during their working years,” said Levinson. “It affects their retirement years.”
“Women receive less Social Security benefits, lower pension income, and that leads to an average retirement income that is 30% less than a male’s retirement income,” said Levinson. “And this is particularly troublesome, given that women outlive men by six to eight years.”
Traveling from Pittsburgh was speaker Jean Smarto, who is head of the engagement and training team for Bank of New York Mellon, with more than 35 years of experience in supply chain management. She serves as a mentor for Pittsburgh Women in Supply Chain Group, and recently completed Duquesne University’s Professional Coaching Certification program with a personal goal to assist professional women in achieving high levels within corporate America.
“Women are being stalled in their careers,” said Smarto. “They are not being promoted.”
Smarto went on to share some steps that she feels are important to help women advance.
“The first step is to know your worth,” said Smarto. “There are so many tools out there now that were not available out there before, like Glassdoor, to find out your starting point, and know what you deserve. Knowing what you are worth leads to greater questions and greater decisions.”
“You also have to build a strong professional network,” said Smarto. “You need to make sure that you have strong individuals advocating for you, and it can’t just be women, it has to be men helping women, understanding what the requirements are, and helping women get ahead.”
“Always be adding to your skills and your tool belt,” said Smarto. “Every year, you should be adding something like an online class, taking a course, getting a recertification. You should always be adding. Make sure that you are staying current in your industry. Make sure that you are also knowing everything that is going on and that you can demonstrate to your boss that you are on top of it.”
“Being a lifelong learner leads to greater success, and I also think it leads to a greater happiness,” said Smarto.
“Pick your support system very carefully,” said Smarto. “You want to make sure that you pick people who will help you, and give you great guidance along the way. Sometimes that advice won’t be what you want to hear, but you are going to get advice on what to do.”
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is a national organization established in 1881. More information on issues affecting women and girls can be found at aauw.org, aauwvalparaiso.org, or AAUW Valparaiso on Facebook.
Deena Lawley-Dixon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.