Issues

October 2005

Government must support Gulf Coast women 

Over the next few months Congress will tackle the issues involved in rebuilding the Gulf Coast and argue for an array of policy alternatives to remedy affected communities. During this process, it is critical for our leaders to take into account the poor economic conditions that characterize the Gulf Coast region. Specifically, the majority of families from hard-hit areas live within a small margin of the poverty line. Many of these families are single-family households headed by women of color.

In order to rebuild these communities, Congress must address the needs of its poor inhabitants. Much more is needed to rebuild the Gulf Coast than infrastructure and building repair. Many of these families struggled financially even before the hurricanes hit, which means they don't have an economic cushion to help them get back on their feet.

Democrats in Washington DC are pushing to maintain social safety net programs like Medicaid, Food Stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). In addition, policy analysts highlight extended emergency assistance, living wages, and job training programs are some important ways in which legislators can address the poverty issues in the Gulf Coast.

This month, the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) released a report highlighting the issue of poverty among women in the Gulf Coast. Research indicates that women in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region are more likely to be poor than men. The poverty rate for women in the city of New Orleans is 25.9 percent, compared to 14.5 percent nationally. Of these families, 4 in 10 are living at or below the federal poverty line.

Despite the grim picture that these statistics paint, this information is critical to developing policies that support women as they look for work and begin to rebuild their lives and communities. Get a full copy of the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) report.

Medicaid protects when economy suffers

For the past five years, working families have taken big hits financially. The economic outlook in the coming months is even bleaker due to the impact of the hurricanes. When employers are faced with rising costs, many will cut funding for employer-sponsored healthcare programs often leaving working families in financial jeopardy. Even when employers continue to provide coverage, many can't afford to pay the premiums or related costs of care.

For many of these families, particularly those headed by females, Medicaid is the only healthcare plan available. In fact, Medicaid coverage is guaranteed for all individuals who meet income eligibility requirements. Currently, 50 million people receive benefits through Medicaid. Two-thirds of these beneficiaries are in working families, and 70 percent of adult beneficiaries are women. However, for the past year the Bush Administration has been working hard to cut federal spending on Medicaid and even place caps on the number of people who are eligible to enroll in the program.

Earlier this month, the Administration announced their plans to cut $35 to $50 billion over the next 5 years in funding from Medicaid, Food Stamps, housing, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). At least $10 billion is expected to be cut from Medicaid. The effects of these cuts alone would be devastating as over 40 percent of state budgets come from Medicaid funding. To make up for this loss in federal funds, states may be forced to limit eligibility for those in need, cut critical services or cut jobs for service providers. Today 45 million Americans are uninsured. Cutting Medicaid funding from state budgets will leave more and more working families without this critical protection.

This is the wrong time to cut benefits for America's workers. Five years of economic decline coupled with the aftermath of two deadly hurricanes has seriously depressed the economic security of working women and their families. The Administration needs to strengthen critical social supports and stop their plans to pass generous tax cuts for the wealthy (estimated at $70 billion).

We encourage you to speak up and take action on these proposed cuts to the federal budget. Keep the pressure on your elected officials to enact responsible tax and budget policies and support programs for hard-working women and their families!

Visit Act Now, to join the virtual march and demand the President and Congress Rebuild America Right.

The union advantage grows

The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reaffirms that union women receive more and better quality healthcare and retirement benefits than nonunion workers. In fact, union employees receive more than double what their nonunion counterparts receive in employer contributions to their health plans. The gap is even wider for retirement benefits! This year union workers received an employer contribution to their retirement plan of over three times the amount received by nonunion workers

With the cost of healthcare skyrocketing, many working women struggle to afford coverage for family members. When women join unions they join the fight to protect critical health benefits, and statistics show that union workers are winning this fight. Eighty-eight percent of all union workers receive medical coverage from their employer, while only 49 percent of nonunion workers are covered. In addition, 35 percent of union workers receive fully paid insurance plans for family medical coverage — only 8 percent of their non-union counterparts can say this.

Union women are also winning the fight for retirement security. Eighty-five percent of union workers receive benefits through an employer-sponsored retirement plan; while only 46 percent of nonunion workers receive this coverage. Also, a greater proportion of union women receive employer-paid life insurance than do nonunion employees.

It is clear that when women join unions they are taking a step towards protecting themselves and their families, and building economic security for their future!

For more information on the union advantage, please visit the Labor Research Association website.

TV Talk: Where are the women?

Sunday talk shows are one of the most visible forums for political debate in our country. Many working women and their families rely on this type of programming for a critical analysis of issues that affect their economic security and social well-being. These shows play a key role in shaping the nation's political agenda and have the power to confer expert status on guests. However, 86 percent of this information and critical analysis is coming from men. Women in positions of power are often left out of the debate.

The White House Project recently published a study that examines the visibility of women leaders in the media. "Who's Talking Now: A Follow-Up Analysis of Guest Appearances by Women on the Sunday Morning Talk Shows," finds that only 14 percent of guest appearances on Sunday talk shows such as Meet the Press (NBC), Face the Nation (CBS), and Fox News Sunday (FOX) are made by women. While this is up from 11 percent in 2001, women are clearly not represented in these critical debates and not being seen as experts on issues.

Watching these shows — one would believe that there are no women experts in areas such as national security, economics or social welfare. This is entirely untrue. There are many powerful women leaders in Washington DC and throughout the country. Following the September 11th attacks, three of the Senate's principal subcommittees on terrorism were chaired by women. Today, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) chairs the Senate Committee on Government Affairs, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) serves as the House Democratic leader, and Condoleezza Rice serves as the Secretary of State.

These women hold significant positions in some of the country's most influential political seats. However these women will remain in the shadows of political debate until we, as women, spread awareness of the scarcity of visible women leaders and stir up debate in our communities. It is critical that women are visibly represented in authoritative positions by the media if we want to change the way our country views women as leaders.

We encourage you to talk about this issue with your friends, family, and other union members. Together we can help move women into the spotlight and provide role models for tomorrow's women leaders.

Get a copy of the full report.

WomENews is produced by the Women's Rights Department and written by Amy Vance.

 

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