For every Oregonian, finding a job can be problematic at best. For ethnic minorities and women it can be especially challenging, given the negative assumptions employers make about people from these populations in the hiring and interview process.
In a testimony to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on June 22, 2011, Dr. Marc Bendick, Jr., Ph.D. Economist of Bendick and Egan Economic Consultants, Inc, presented findings from his research on disparate treatment in hiring. Some of the findings he reported were quite shocking-
- After controlling for education, age, work experience, residence, and criminal records, dark-skinned black males had a 52 percent lower chance of being employed than lighter-skinned black males.
- Among American professionals and managers working in international business, an additional year of work experience raised men’s annual earnings $2,500 but women’s only $1,300; working an additional eight hours a week increased men’s annual earnings $7,300 but women’s only $4,300.
- In another national survey, 31 percent of Asians, 26 percent of African Americans, 18 percent of Hispanics, and 22 percent of women reported having been discriminated against in their workplace during the previous year
Just over one year later, little has been done to correct these shocking disparities. At Oregon Action we believe that the national picture illustrated by these statistics is representative of Portland’s disparate hiring practices. How can we challenge the problems affecting the most economically vulnerable sections of our population? What is already being done to educate employers about why these practices are hurting the economy? Oregon Action invites anyone and everyone committed to solving this problem to the Jobs Equity Forum on August 27, intended to address these issues and discuss the best way forward.
The forum will focus on Portland Public Schools’ Equity in Public Purchasing and Contracting Policy, Clean Energy Works Oregon High Road Standards and Benefits Agreement, the ‘Cool Schools’ Initiative (Oregon HB 2960), disparity in the City’s Prime Contracting Program, as well as the Community Benefit Agreement that Oregon Action has been working on with in the Metropolitan Alliance for Workforce Equity. Short presentations will be given by community members about workforce equity in relation to these projects. The forum will be followed by a Q&A session where people will have a chance to ask questions as well as give the audience a chance to voice their opinions.
Join Oregon Action to continue the conversation concerning problems with workplace equity. Qualified individuals should all have equal access to jobs, equal pay and good working conditions regardless of their gender or ethnicity. We have come such a long way here in the U.S. but that does not mean we need to stop the process of improving workplace equity for everyone.
Oregon Action’s Jobs Equity Forum is Monday, August 27, at 6:30 at the Oregon Trail Chapter of the Red Cross located at 3131 N Vancouver Ave. in Portland. Information about the forum is posted on our website- www.oregonaction.org, and facebook event- http://www.facebook.com/events/458008114231477/. Any questions or comments regarding the forum can be directed to Camille White-Avian, the Portland Organizer for Oregon Action.
Contact:
Camille White-Avian
Portland Organizer
Oregon Action
Cell- (650)817-5049
Office-(971)634-0004
