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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1985)
editorial Comparable worth an important goal It is called comparable worth and it is defined as having the same pay for jobs where knowledge, effort, responsibili ty and working conditions are equal. In a society such as ours, which claims to uphold the principles of “equality and justice for all,” the concept of equal pay for equal work should be readily accepted. But it is not. The chairman of President Ronald Reagan’s civil-rights commission calls the idea “loony.” Other critics heve labeled it a violation of free market principles. In Oregon, the issue of comparable worth is picking up. In a joint hearing before the House and Senate labor commit tees on Monday, a state-appointed task force presented the findings of a year-long study to determine if pay inequities existed between men and women employed by the state. After evaluating 32,000 state jobs, the task force found gender-based pay inequities in entry level and support posi tions. Women earned 32 percent less in these classifications than men. It is now up to the Legislature to decide whether the state should devise a system that would require an even relationship between pay and the way the job is evaluated. Gov. Vic Atiyeh has included $25 million in his proposed 1985-87 budget to start such a program. Critics of comparable worth have argued that the “free market” should decide what a job is worth. But the “free market” has consistently segregated women into low salary jobs, regardless of their experience and education. This is reflected in the findings of the task force, which reported that no pay inequities were found at high-level state jobs because these jobs are nearly devoid of females, therefore no comparisons could be made. The key issue is whether there should be equal pay for equal work. While most people agree with this in principle, in practice large gaps in the pay scales of men and women still exist for jobs that require the same knowledge and skills. Comparable worth guidelines are quite clear and they must be followed if women are to be given equal rights in the work place. The moaning death ’ gets put to use in El Salvador American GIs called it “Puff the Magic Dragon”; the Vietnamese called it “the moaning death.” To the U.S. Air Force, it is nothing more than an “airborne fire support plat form.” The name really doesn’t matter. What does matter is that in January, President Ronald Reagan escalated the potential for mass killing in El Salvador by supplying that nation’s Air Force with two deadly gunships. The weapons are capable of hovering over a target for hours at a time, put ting bullets in every square foot of the soil below. The gunships are equipped with night-vision that operates by detecting heat sources on the ground, but it is unable to distinguish between guerrillas, civilians or livestock. Since much of the fighing in El Salvador occurs in highly populated areas, the potential for mass slaughter is greatly increased. Reagan assured protesting human rights groups that use of the aircraft would be tightly controlled. But within weeks of receiving these new war gifts, the Salvadoran Air Force used them both, breaking an agree ment between Congress and the Reagan Administration that only one would be used until their impact on civilian populations could be determined. This breach of agreement apparently hasn’t troubled Reagan very much. He has already requested an additional $72 million in military aid to El Salvador, above and beyond the $120 million already approved for 1985. Oregon doily emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald is published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co., at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403. The Emerald operates independently of the Universi ty with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press. General Staff Advertising Director Production Manager Classified Advertising Controller Susan Thelen Russell Steele Vince Adams Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Laura Buckley, Tim Clevenger, Jen nifer Fox, Marcia Leonard, Rick Martz. Nancy Nielsen, Laurie Nobel, Roberta Oliver, Brett Pickman - Intern, David Wood. Production: Kelly Comyn, Stormi Dykes, Julie Freeman, Kathy Gallagher, Dean Guernsey, Susan Hawkins, Rob Kraft, Ross Martin, Karin McKercher, Lauri Neely, Kelly Neff, Kara Oberst, Curt Penrod, Michele Ross, Alyson Simmons, Peg Solonika, Tim Swillinger, Colleen Tre maine, Hank Trotter. Editor Managing Editor News Editor Editorial Page Editor Photo Editor Sports Editor Sidelines Editor Friday Edition Editor Entertainment Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Administration Higher Education Politics ASUO Student Activities Community Features Michele Matassa Mike Sims Michael Kulaga Costas Christ Michael Clapp Brent De La Paz Sheila Landry Kim Cartson Michael Duncan Michele Matassa Jolayne Houtz Michael Hosmar Paul Ertelt Julie Shippen Diana Elliott Cynthia Whitfield Lori Steinhauer Reporters: Sean Axmaker, Dave Berns, Kirsten Bolin, Michelle Brence, Dave Carlson, Robert Collias, Thomas Henderson, Robin Joannides, Allan Lazo, Capi Lynn, Scott McFetridge, Stasia Scarborough. News and Editorial 686-5511 Display Advertising and Business 686-3712 Classified Advertising 686-4343 Production 686-4381 Circulation 686-5511 fmen S»e*»** >MS WN, I HoWKWEflWIV/OOSIlS WlU EMSURS1W£ SWIFTER GJMHfflON OF \6lX RouNt».' letters Harsh reality To Vince Adams (ODE, Feb. 22). the guy who’s “kinda tired of all this ‘women’ crap”: Why don’t you try explaining to that 6-year-old girl you refer red to in your letter why our society lets such violent attacks against women exist, instead of just wishing that it wasn’t there so that you won’t feel “uncom fortable”? Why don’t you ex plain to her that not only will men leer at her when she grows up in the same way they leer at other women in that Playboy of yours, but that something called child por nography already caters to the sexual fantasies (and perhaps realities) of men who would like to have sex with her right now at age 6! Let her know what sort of “crap,” as you put it, is in store for her. Let her know that she may be walking to the store one day and some “kinda guy who thinks women are beautiful” might kidnap, rape, and then strangle her just because it gets him off! I really hope you were pushed too far by the display showing just one of the ways in which our “free” society uses media to perpetuate the repres sion of women. Ask one of these women that you open doors for and send roses to what it’s like to have a man come on to her in a dominating sexually aggressive way. Maybe then you will understand why the Women’s Referral and Resource Service would strike such a radical blow for equality. Tom Pettitt F rench/Soci ology Prejudice Prejudice is in-born and bone deep Begot with the father’s seed Or lodged in Adam’s rib An original sin shared tyy ail Be it against race or sex Or both As practiced in our School of Law. But the law of the nation Demands indiscrimination and declares Equal opportunity of employment Especially in “enlightened" areas Such as The System of Higher Education. Women in high places Be they on the bench or in administration Fail to see a pattern of their elevation Through their tunnel vision And feel the need to disclaim discrimination To insure their position where man remains to master. They proffer “sweeping vic tory” to their controller In the unreal world where the torchbearer of Liberty Is carved in stone and Not of woman born. Angela Jung East Asian Languages What purpose Once again the Women's Referral and Resource Service has gotten off their broomsticks to further discredit their own organization in an antagonistic presentation of pornography, anti-male. The wonderful let ters and photographs were creative and original, especially the paste-together of a 6-foot erection placed into a woman’s mouth. The prints show women tied up, but who tied them up, women or men? Pornography is a problem. but what on earth was the WRRS trying to prove? Where did they get the photographs and letters from? Why did they only present one side of the Debusk episode? Is the WRRS purpose to antagonize, insult, and exert effort towards women and pornography, or is their purpose to share positive aspects of their organization and provide referral service and social support for women? Why don’t they show positive achievements and aspects of their organization, or maybe they don’t have any. Paul Rimov Health Education Domination Laura Romano and her hench men — excuse me, henchper sons — need to soften their at tacks a bit and stop holding each and every male responsi ble for a discrimination problem that is far from rampant. Not every man in this world is out to dominate every woman, regardless of what Ms. Romano seems to believe. In my eighteen years. I’ve seen many females dominate males, perhaps as often as I've seen males dominate females. Ms. Romano and Company should make a few concessions in their quixotic quest to rid this world of the “womanizing, sex starved male community" and wake up to the fact that domina tion and discrimination are in deed two-way streets. Ms. Romano can continue in her crusade, but needs to realize that without the contribution of one particular male, there would never have been any Laura Romano. Then again, if that were the case, maybe we’d all be better off. Bill Kelter Eugene Letters Policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters con taining fair comment on topics of interest to the University community. Letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, typed, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is turned in. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style. Letters to the editor should be turned into the Emerald office, Suite 300, EMU.
