Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

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gounion
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Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by gounion »

Okay, I'll admit that I'm NOT a soccer fan. Never watched more than a snippet of games. But right is right. I THOUGHT we had equal pay between the genders. Okay, I'm kidding, I know that pay is STILL VERY unequal, but it's nice to win one every now and then.

The women's national soccer team, after a lawsuit lasting six years, won a contract where they make as much as the men's team. About time. This coming at a time where the medal-winning women's team made far less than the also-ran men's team. Nice piece by Sally Jenkins in the WAPO:
Money is respect. For too long, a U.S. women’s soccer player opened a paycheck that told her she was cut-rate merchandise and that her gold medals were cheap.

Finally, the U.S. women’s national team members will be properly valued as the national treasures they are. The new “identical compensation” deal for the U.S. soccer teams — negotiated in mutual agreement with their male counterparts — will pay the women equal salaries and World Cup bonuses. It’s a revolutionary deal, and that’s only fitting because it took a revolt to get here. Don’t ever forget how hard it was to win such a basic contract.

It took 25 years, strikes and work stoppages, and a rebellious, siege-like lawsuit — all to win simple, fair fiscal recognition of an unprecedentedly achieving women’s squad, winner of four World Cup titles and four Olympic gold medals, which has blown the door open to a fresh worldwide audience that pours new dollars into old suit pockets. No more devaluing pittances of 38 cents on the dollar for women who win trophies while men make exponentially more for losing in the group stage.

U.S. women’s and men’s national soccer teams close pay gap with ‘game-changing’ deal

No more paychecks that read like personal insults from their intransigent federation. In 1996, the women’s Olympic gold medal team “made about $10 a day,” Julie Foudy recalled. When players asked for bonuses, a soccer official told them, “Don’t be greedy,” and suggested they should be happy they got a jersey that said “USA” on it.

Three years later, they packed the Rose Bowl and beat China to win the 1999 World Cup — and believed they were entitled to a modest raise, especially after the federation signed a $120 million deal with Nike. So, going into the 2000 Olympics, the women asked for $5,000 per month, up from $3,150. The federation balked. When Foudy and Mia Hamm rallied the team to stage a strike, one soccer official said dismissively, “They’re currently unemployed.” Only when the women threatened to skip the entire Olympics did they win their measly raise. “They have essentially ignored our successes over the past three years — including a World Cup win and an Olympic gold medal,” team captain Carla Overbeck said then.

By 2015, the Women’s World Cup final was the most-watched soccer game ever on a U.S. network, men’s or women’s — more Americans watched it than the NBA Finals — and it spurred a $20 million boost in revenue for the federation. Yet the federation was still dealing out petty fiscal insults. It gave the women just $60 per day in meal allowance while paying the men $75. This time, when the women complained and asked for more equitable terms, officials called them “irrational” — as if they were hysterics.

They filed a federal discrimination suit — and fought that legal battle for six years while still raking in the medals.

“Everyone is kind of asking what’s next and what we want to come of all of this,” Megan Rapinoe said wearily after the most recent World Cup victory. “It’s to stop having the conversation about equal pay and are we worth it.”
Glennfs
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by Glennfs »

It will be interesting to see if the women get more or the men get less.
When title IX was passed in order to comply many universities didn't increase women's scholarships and participation. Instead they eliminated some men's sports.
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gounion
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by gounion »

Glennfs wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 7:41 pm It will be interesting to see if the women get more or the men get less.
When title IX was passed in order to comply many universities didn't increase women's scholarships and participation. Instead they eliminated some men's sports.
Well since the men were losers and the women’s income paid the men’s salaries, what would the problem be if they just shut down the mens team? Seems to me the only time you care about women’s sports is to keep the trans players out.
Glennfs
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by Glennfs »

gounion wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 7:48 pm Well since the men were losers and the women’s income paid the men’s salaries, what would the problem be if they just shut down the mens team? Seems to me the only time you care about women’s sports is to keep the trans players out.
Not at all. I currently have no idea how good our current women's soccer team is. I do know the men's team qualified for the world cup but kind of backed in and probably won't last long.
During the era you are talking about our women's team was world class and getting shorted.
However in things like meal money a 200 pound male athlete will eat much more than a 150 pound female athlete.
As for things like the weight room the men will use heavier weights than the women.
As for the money the women were under paid.
But considering the men are taking leave from professional careers that pay 500k or more. While the women are taking leave from their 120k job in private industry. The men should get slightly more.
With this exception. They all should get the same rate. If that rate is 125pct of what you took your leave from. It should be 125pct for all.

If you left a 100k job you get 125k
If you left a 500k job you get 625k

That would be fair for all
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gounion
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by gounion »

Glennfs wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:02 pm Not at all. I currently have no idea how good our current women's soccer team is. I do know the men's team qualified for the world cup but kind of backed in and probably won't last long.
During the era you are talking about our women's team was world class and getting shorted.
However in things like meal money a 200 pound male athlete will eat much more than a 150 pound female athlete.
As for things like the weight room the men will use heavier weights than the women.
As for the money the women were under paid.
But considering the men are taking leave from professional careers that pay 500k or more. While the women are taking leave from their 120k job in private industry. The men should get slightly more.
With this exception. They all should get the same rate. If that rate is 125pct of what you took your leave from. It should be 125pct for all.

If you left a 100k job you get 125k
If you left a 500k job you get 625k

That would be fair for all
No f'ing way. First, do you KNOW that the women's soccer players make less than the men? I don't.

Secondly, that was always the excuse for paying men more than women in the first place - "well, they have a family to raise".

They should get paid the same for doing the same work. Period.

Equal pay for equal work. And Glenn, where I worked, the men didn't get more per diem because they "eat more". Everyone got the same, that's called "fairness".
ap215
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by ap215 »

Well deserved. 👏
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ProfX
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by ProfX »

Weird, first he says there is no gender pay gap, then proceeds to justify one between male and female athletes. :lol:

Clearly, it's justifiable because "the Fridge" slams down more McHappy Meals than a female athlete ... :roll:
"Don't believe every quote attributed to people on the Internet" -- Abraham Lincoln :D
Glennfs
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by Glennfs »

ProfX wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 6:16 am Weird, first he says there is no gender pay gap, then proceeds to justify one between male and female athletes. :lol:

Clearly, it's justifiable because "the Fridge" slams down more McHappy Meals than a female athlete ... :roll:
Should the WNBA players be paid the same as NBA players
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Glennfs
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by Glennfs »

gounion wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:09 pm No f'ing way. First, do you KNOW that the women's soccer players make less than the men? I don't.

Secondly, that was always the excuse for paying men more than women in the first place - "well, they have a family to raise".

They should get paid the same for doing the same work. Period.

Equal pay for equal work. And Glenn, where I worked, the men didn't get more per diem because they "eat more". Everyone got the same, that's called "fairness".
Sorry I forgot that common sense isn't common.
Of course the women who play on our national team earn the same in private life as the men who play professional soccer in premier leagues
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ProfX
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by ProfX »

I have no opinion on that. We were discussing, though, the men's and women's NATIONAL soccer teams. That represent us at the Olympics and internationally.
"Don't believe every quote attributed to people on the Internet" -- Abraham Lincoln :D
Glennfs
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by Glennfs »

ProfX wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:39 pm I have no opinion on that. We were discussing, though, the men's and women's NATIONAL soccer teams. That represent us at the Olympics and internationally.
My point is of course if one athlete is earning 500k playing pro soccer and the other is a school teacher
Of course you have to pay the one earning 500k more.
" I am a socialist " Bernie Sanders
gounion
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Re: Equal pay won for Women's Soccer team

Post by gounion »

Glennfs wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:43 pm My point is of course if one athlete is earning 500k playing pro soccer and the other is a school teacher
Of course you have to pay the one earning 500k more.
No you don’t. You pay for work done. You don’t favor one over the other because of outside earnings.
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