Drastic pay inequities persist for Black and Latino NYC workers, especially women

By Zachary Schermele, NBC

A new pay equity report from the New York City Council shows “persistent, large pay gaps” in the city’s municipal workforce, particularly among Black, Latino and white employees — a divide that gets worse when comparing men and women workers. 

Black city employees make just 71 cents on average for every dollar made by their white counterparts, according to the report, which was released Thursday. Latinos make just 75 cents for every dollar and Asian employees make 81 cents.

For Black women and Latinas, the gap is even larger, dropping to 69 cents for every dollar made by white male employees. On the whole, female city employees make 73 cents for every male dollar. 

This dynamic illustrates what the report calls an “occupational segregation” of nonwhite and female employees who often hold more junior positions with lower pay than their white male counterparts in the municipal workforce. 

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said in a press release that although the council has long been aware that pay disparities exist along racial and gender lines, the council now has unprecedented diversity among its members after major turnover following elections in 2021. That diversity, she implied, could lead to more willingness to fix longstanding wage gaps. 

“As the most diverse and first women-majority council, we will not rest until all New York City workers are valued equally with job salaries and opportunities for their contributions to our city regardless of gender or race,” Adams said. 

Take a closer look at the report.

The Biden administration has committed to closing pay gaps such as this.

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