The Californer - California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom Announces Cities of Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach, and Fresno Become First Cities to Sign Equal Pay Pledge

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On Equal Pay Day, the six cities join over 100 existing California Equal Pay Pledge signatories

SACRAMENTO – First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom today announced that Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach, and Fresno have signed the California Equal Pay Pledge, joining over 100 existing pledge signatories. The First Partner made the announcement alongside former State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson; Deputy Mayor of Oakland Kimberly Mayfield, Kimberly Ellis, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women; Gloria Chen, Chief People Officer for Adobe; and Holly Martinez, Executive Director of the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls (CCSWG).

"It will continue to take public and private partnerships like our California Equal Pay Pledge to close the gender pay gap in California. Pay inequity stems from a patriarchal system that was not built with gender equity in mind, but instead built to keep money and power in the hands of few men in control," said First Partner Siebel Newsom. "Given our history as a nation, closing the pay gap for mothers and women of color may seem like a daunting goal, but in California, we are up to the challenge. I am grateful to the over 100 companies as well as the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Fresno, Long Beach, and San Diego for standing with us and sending a clear message to their employees, customers, and constituents that women are valued and that women's labor is as valuable as men's."

First Partner Siebel Newsom Announces Cities of Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach, and Fresno Become First Cities to Sign Equal Pay Pledge

"Women in America are more likely to live in poverty than men, more likely to work in fields that pay lower wages, and even when holding the same jobs, they are more likely to make less than their male counterparts," said Mayor Sheng Thao. "This persistent wage gap holds women back and hurts families. I am proud that Oakland is the first city in California to sign the Equal Pay Pledge. We owe it to our City workers – and all women – to send a clear message that everyone deserves equal pay."

"Lifting as we climb is one of the most important things we can do as leaders, which is why being an active participant in the fight for pay equity is so important," said Mayor Karen Bass. "I'm proud to sign this pledge and I thank First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom for leading this crucial initiative."

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"Equality is a fundamental American value and the bedrock of our democracy, which is why California and the City of San Diego are dedicated to leading the nation on promoting women's equality," said Mayor Todd Gloria. "From reestablishing the City's Commission on the Status of Women to conducting our City's first ever Pay Equity Study, San Diego is among those on the vanguard for women's rights, and I'm proud to join many other local governments and business leaders in committing to the California Equal Pay Pledge."

First Partner Siebel Newsom Announces Cities of Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach, and Fresno Become First Cities to Sign Equal Pay Pledge

"From the moment I was elected Mayor of Fresno, choosing a team that reflected diversity and gender equity was a priority," said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer. "I'm proud to say that women make up 60 percent of my administration, including our City Manager, my Chief of Staff, two Assistant City Managers, my Communications Director and more. Citywide, we continue making great strides in evaluating and making equitable improvements- and that leads to better service for the people of Fresno."

"We are proud to stand with First Partner Siebel Newsom and take the California Equal Pay Pledge," said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. "By ensuring that women in government and across every sector are paid fairly for doing the same work, we can eliminate the gender pay gap and meaningfully expand economic opportunity for working women and their families throughout California."

"At Adobe, we're proud to have achieved global gender pay parity for the fifth year in a row and to continue this vital work alongside our Equal Pay Pledge Partners to advance pay parity across the state of California and beyond," said Gloria Chen, Adobe's Chief People Officer. "Fair pay is one of the most tangible ways to show our employees that we value them, and it also serves as an important contributor to create a thriving and inclusive workplace where we can fully tap into the diversity of the communities where we live and work."

"Closing the gender wage gap is not just something California can do, it's something we must do," said Kimberly Ellis, Director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women. "From building credit to building wealth, we know that the wage gap has greatly hindered progress toward actualizing women's equality. The City and County of San Francisco is proud to support the First Partner's initiative and look forward to doing our part to making pay equity a reality for all women in the Golden State."

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"Despite the incredible progress women have made, the gender pay gap in the United States has held stable for nearly 20 years," said California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls Executive Director Holly Martinez. "This is an unacceptable stagnation reflecting, in part, that women continue to be clustered in lower-paying occupations relative to their share of the workforce but also persistent discrimination not explained by any other measurable factor. The reliance on women during the pandemic as essential workers, caregivers, and parents made clear that women are essential to our economy and key workforce participants. It's time to finally close the wage gap."

In 2019, as part of her California for ALL Women initiative, the First Partner, in partnership with CCSWG launched the Equal Pay Pledge to build upon the state's nation-leading equal pay laws by closing the existing gender wage gap. The California Partners Project, founded by the First Partner in 2020, also provides support for the Pledge.

Companies who sign the Equal Pay Pledge have committed to conducting annual company-wide gender pay analyses, reviewing their hiring and promotion processes and procedures to reduce unconscious bias and structural barriers, and promoting best practices to help close the pay gap and ensure fundamental equity for all workers.

To date, 111 companies have signed the California Equal Pay Pledge, including the State of California, Adobe, GoFundMe, and Apple. Since the launch of the Pledge, First Partner Siebel Newsom has helped connect thousands of Californians to educational equal pay resources, hosted roundtables and conversations to hear firsthand about the pay gap's impact on working women and their families, and secured major corporate commitments to the Equal Pay Pledge – reaching hundreds of thousands of employees. More information on signatories and the Equal Pay Pledge is available here.

California has some of the strongest equal pay laws in the country, but women in the state still earn 88 cents for every dollar a man earns. Nationally, women earn on average 77 cents for every dollar a man earns, and those numbers plummet to 64 cents for Black women, 54 cents for Latina women, and 51 cents for Native American women, and 62 cents for mothers. In addition, the gender wage gap creates staggering financial losses with California women losing a combined total of $87 billion each year.

First Partner Siebel Newsom is committed to lifting up women and mothers and their ability to thrive both at work and at home. In addition to the Equal Pay Pledge, she's been an outspoken advocate for reproductive freedom, championed California's work to increase equitable representation at the tables of power by diversifying public company boards in the state, and advocated for family-friendly policies such as paid leave and child care.

Filed Under: Government, State

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