New Orleans’ Peoples Assembly, an organization of New Orleans workers and supporters fighting for better working conditions and living wages, will rally on March 8 in honor of International Women’s Day. The march will begin at at 1 p.m. at Congo Square and end on the steps of City Hall.
The issue of pay equity is especially critical for women in the United States, who are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to men. And Louisiana has the highest gender wage gap in the country, with women earning 79 cents per every dollar a man makes. For women of color the numbers are staggeringly lower. Latino women make 51 cents and Black women make even less — 48 cents — to every dollar a White man makes in Louisiana.
Although the cost of living has increased, the minimum wage in Louisiana has not changed since 2009, when the federal rate was raised to $7.25.
The Assembly, which was established after the anti-Trump inauguration demonstration held Jan. 20, 2017, continues to unite around social justice issues.
“We met again on Feb. 11, 2017, and then took 6 months to canvass, talk to people on the streets, corners porches, and in the community about what changes they felt needed to happen immediately to ensure people could survive and have a foundation to eventually thrive.” organizers say. “The New Orleans Peoples’ Assembly Fight Back Manifesto came as a result.
And while it is not intended to cover every single issue or concern, it does address key areas that we collectively are affected by, and must organize for, as immediate priorities. As we achieve these demands, we will be in better position to expand our goals.”
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