On Monday, July 31st the City Council voted unanimously to adopt the Equal Pay Ordinance – making San Diego the largest city in the U.S. with a local ordinance to help close the wage gap. 

“The Equal Pay Ordinance, authored by Councilman Chris Ward, mandates that city contractors self-certify compliance with the ordinance through their contract with the city. Employees of those outside businesses can file complaints with city officials, who can then force the company to open up its records to prove compliance. Companies in violation of the ordinance can have their contract terminated.”  – Andrew Bowen, KPBS, 7/31/17

RUN WOMEN RUN WAS PROUD TO JOIN SUPPORTERS TO CALL ON CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE AND ENFORCE THE EQUAL PAY ORDINANCE!

Christina Prejean, Run Women Run Committee Co-Chair and National Women’s Political Caucus San Diego President, made the following statement:

“Good afternoon, my name is Christina Prejean and I am here on behalf of Run Women Run, a non-partisan organization that inspires, recruits, and trains pro-choice San Diego women to seek elected and appointed office.

For decades, women have received less pay than their male colleagues for doing the exact same – or an equivalent – job in nearly every occupation, and that gap is even wider for women of color. This is unjust. It is wrong. And this is a conversation that has been going on for far too long.

Women account for half of the world’s population; yet if we are prevented from achieving our full economic potential our entire economy suffers.

Our organization is here to support the San Diego Equal Pay Ordinance, because equal pay will not only benefit women, but also our families and our community as a whole. While we already have equal pay laws on the books at the state and federal levels, San Diego will be the largest city in the nation to take clear action on enforcing these laws at the local level.

The Equal Pay Ordinance makes a statement about San Diego’s commitment to ensuring that anyone who does business with our City is paying a fair and equal wage regardless of gender or race.

For all San Diego women, families, and communities, I respectfully request that you approve and enforce the City of San Diego Equal Pay Ordinance.”

Watch the full video from the council meeting here.