On Tuesday, April 22, 2008, members of Isle City of Alameda Business and Professional Women will join other BPW/USA members from across the United States in a national day of action called Equal Pay Day . April 22 signifies the point into the next year that a woman must work in order to earn the wages paid to a man in the previous year.

According to the AFL-CIO, over a 40 year career, the average 25 year-old woman who works full-time will earn approximately $523,000 less than the average man, if current wage patterns continue. According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, women continue to receive unequal pay for the same work; on average women earn 77 cents for every dollar a man. This affects women's pensions and family income.

Fair pay takes real change and we can make a difference!

President JoAnn signed with Samhain Publishing, Ltd. for her medieval romance, OUT OF THE DARK. The book will be e-published Tuesday, May 13, 2008. In bookstores Spring 2009.

At September, November and January meetings, Isle City discussed assistance for foster girls/children who turn 18 and must leave the system even though still in high school.  Our original concern came from a newspaper article. We were concerned about the negative impact on these girls who are future women in the workplace. Members provided material, bills, information, and discussion of local, county, state and national practices or legislation.  As a consequence, we learned that the legislatures are already aware of the problem and have introduced satisfactory legislation, some of which passed last year and some of which is still pending. We chose certain pieces of pending legislation to support (which fits under our legislative platform re equality in the workplace). We willcontact the bill's authors (as well as our BPW/CA Legislative Screening Committee) to show our support. Later, we will ask our sister Districts to urge their local organization leg chairs to write. 

Sylvia Brown Olivetti, Legislation Chair, spoke to Jeff Hild, Legislative Aide to Congressman Stark , about HR 1104. Here's what he told her: There were a couple of hearings on Income Security and Family Support where HR 1104 was discussed. HR 1104 has made the Ways and Means Committee aware of the issues raised regarding foster children and supplemental security income benefits. At this time, no further action has been taken. However, there is an effort in Congress to try to enact foster care reform and comprehensive child welfare legislation. Jeff indicated that Congressman Stark would try to get provisions of HR 1104 into that legislation if it is introduced. Also Senator Clinton has introduced legislation dealing with individual development accounts for children. The big issue is financial -- whenever legislation such as this is introduced, there are a number of Members of Congress and Senators who try to defeat the legislation because of the price tag. So at this point, it is difficult to predict if any legislation will be passed this session of the Congress and Senate and whether the President would sign it if passed.

Join Isle City members on March 8, at Mills College to celebrate "Moving Women's Global Agenda Forward." Isle City is a co-sponsor and has its speaker, Maria Di Meglio, of the Public Works Dept of the City of Alameda. She will be covering topics like the impact of global warming on women's household budgets and sustainable green products. BPW International is a U.N. NGO organization. There will be refreshments and music. See you there!

JuelleAnn Boyer represented Isle City BPW on 1/29/08 regarding CEDAW and equality for women sponsored by the Alameda County Commission on the Status of Women.