LANSING — April 10 is Equal Pay Day, representing the symbolic day in 2018 that a woman would have to work until to earn what a man made by the end of 2017. In response, state Rep. Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) issued the following statement:
“Anyone who puts in a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s wage. Instead, the pay gap has persisted for decades, with women earning an average of 80 cents to every dollar a man earns and women of color earning even less. This has everyday implications for families right here in Grand Rapids. Whether it’s being able to afford fewer groceries, a smaller mortgage payment, or less savings for retirement, pay discrimination robs women of the freedom to earn what they’re worth, hurting us all in the long run. That’s not right, and it’s why my Democratic colleagues and I actively fight to ensure every Michigander has the security and dignity that economic opportunity provides, and is paid in full for the hard work they do.”