BOZEMAN, Mont.- Mayor Cyndy Andrus declared April 2, 2019, in observance of Equal Pay Day at Monday’s Bozeman City Commission Meeting.
“A day whose meaning and purpose needs to be evolved by achieving equal work and by reaching a day when men and women earn the same wage for the same work after the same duration of work,” said Andrus while reading her proclamation.
April 2, 2019, marks the day that women had to work in addition to all of 2018 in order to make make the same earnings men made at the end of 2018.
“That is over three months of women’s hard work, contributions, and time that are undervalued compared to men’s,” said Susan Neubauer with Bozeman’s Business & Professional Women.
In Bozeman alone, women with bachelor’s degrees make 28 percent less than what men earn. On top of that, there are no women firefighters currently in Bozeman. Bozeman’s newest Human Resources Director James Henderson said that has to deal with the culture that is created, specifically that there aren’t designated separate changing areas in Fire Station #1.
“(We’re) Trying to set policy and procedures right now,” said Henderson. “We really want to create a culture in which everyone feels like ‘hey this is my city that I want to be a part of.”
Andrus’ proclamation encouraged businesses to work towards closing the gender gap. The city is also working on fixing the issue in fire station one through the Public Safety Center that will stand in 2021. However, city officials recognize there is quite a bit more that needs to be done for equality.
