Comments on: Fair pay and fair play

By: Paula

Paula — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:21:09 +0000

As a former journo at the San Antonio Express-News I wish I had worked for you!

By: MidCareer Journalist

MidCareer Journalist — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:44:48 +0000

Great story!

My publisher at a small Maryland daily newspaper hired women reporters exclusively in the early 1980s. This was because women didn’t demand raises, I later learned from a departing colleague.

I was hired at $175/week in 1981 and three years later was making $195/week (a little more than $10,000/year). I thought this was a normal pay progression. I envied first-year teachers who made $14,000/year.

That motivated me to learn how to ask for raises.

By: Amy Gahran

Amy Gahran — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:29:03 +0000

Thanks for posting this Charlotte Anne. I too have run up against the gender pay gap big time as an employee in the media business. It was a significant factor in my decision to go independent in 1998 — and I’ve been independent ever since. I set my own rates, and that’s that.

- Amy Gahran

By: Megan Hueter

Megan Hueter — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:10:18 +0000

This. Is. Cool…. Online community comes together, demanding fair pay for women | …Because I Played Sports

By: charlotteanne

charlotteanne — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:45:23 +0000

Donna,
You are a true sister! Perhaps we should get special “seed” pearl necklaces and wear them with pride!

By: Donna Tuttle

Donna Tuttle — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:33:35 +0000

CharlotteAnne,
Thanks to you and many like you, we women journalists don,t experience near the pay parity that used to exist. I work especially hard with my women interns to make sure they get great experience and pay. Guess what? I graduated to weddings from obits and called “seed” pearls “sud” pearls because the handwritten descriptions made it look that way. Lesson learned: Never mess with a bride’s dress. My hat is off to you!
Donna

By: CV Harquail

CV Harquail — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:41:40 +0000

Charlotte-Anne — what a great story! (Especially the ending). I found that my MBA students couldn’t/wouldn’t even believe some of the stories I could tell about sexism and harrassment in my 7 yrs. in a Fortune 100 “best places for women” company. And that was in 1983-90! Keep changing things!
cvh