Ben Garbacz/Daily Mining Gazette Copper Country League of Women Voters Co-president Faith Morrison shared statistics regarding the difference in pay between men and women to those walking by the Husky Statue on Tuesday afternoon. Morrison said the current rate of change will not have women making the same pay as men until 2088. The demonstration was part of Equal Pay Day.

HOUGHTON — The Copper Country League of Women Voters (CCLWV) held a demonstration on the campus of Michigan Tehnological University Tuesday to draw attention to the issue of pay inequity for women.

March 25 is designated as “Equal Pay Day,”and league members passed out treats and brochures with statistics taken from the American Association of University Women displaying the income differences between the sexes and its reasons.

Many of the women wore red to showcase solidarity with other workers who are “in the red” for Equal Pay Day. The date changes each year to represent the additional days it takes for female workers to achieve the same income as men starting from Jan. 1.

Carolyn Meingast, who recently joined CCLWV said she believes that most people do not know about the difference in pay.

“The frightening thing for me, is that women are losing ground in their pay, rather than gaining ground,” Meingast said. “You would think that you would be moving towards more equality, and we’re actually moving away from it.”

Statistics shared by the League show the difference in pay has increased this year, and the group displayed this with frosting on cookies that showed 83 percent. The reasons for the difference include field of study, occupation and industry, hours and weeks worked and an unexplained category.

The brochure showed statistics for these categories from 2019 to 2025, though League Co-president and Professor Emerita of Chemical Engineering at Michigan Technological University Faith Morrison said there might be another factor in the years after 2020.

“We did go backwards a little bit this year, and that might be a little bit of a COVID Hangover,” she explained.

Morrison pointed out findings from studies and statistics to those passing by and had discussions with anyone willing to speak with her. She not only raised awareness, but presented plausible solutions.

“There are various pieces of legislation that will help with the pay gap, and these are often bits of legislation that have been enacted in some states and not others,” she said. “And so no matter where a graduating Tech student goes in the future, they may find that where they live, there’s an opportunity for them to spread better legislation for being able to be protected in case you believe you’re our victim of pay discrimination.”

The brochure suggested laws from states such as Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Tennessee and Vermont demonstrated the best pay discrimination laws. The legislations the brochure suggested included the Paycheck Fairness Act, Raise the Wage Act, Equal Pay Act, Empower Act and Be Heard Acts and Protecting the Right to Organize Act.