Program to discuss gender wage gap

On Thursday, March 29, the American Association of University Women, in collaboration with Women, Work and Community, Business and Professional Women, Northern Maine Community College, University of Maine at Presque Isle, and the WAGE (Women Are Getting Even) Project is sponsoring a presentation and panel discussion: “Dollars and Sense: How the Gender Wage Gap Affects Your Family.” The event will be held at UMPI from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Campus Center.
    The evening will begin with networking, followed directly by an opening address by Laura Fortman, Maine commissioner of labor. Fortman will provide an overview of Maine’s wage gap, review state policies currently in effect and discuss possible future efforts to combat the wage gap issue. A panel of professionals will then address wage gap issues, followed by a question and answer session.
Speakers include Marcus Barresi (Barresi Financial Inc.)  who will discuss how the wage gap affects retirement, from an individual or couple’s standpoint.    Shawn Cunningham (reporter – WAGM news and current president of the Maine Business and Professional Women) will serve as moderator.
Although the wage gap has decreased significantly, Maine women still earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. If you are interested in connecting with others who share a concern about the wage gap and want to learn more about what the current legislative agenda/policy is and how we can work together to affect change, this event is for you. For more information or to pre-register, contact Ruth White at 768-2856 or Suzanne Senechal-Jandreau at 764-0050.
AAUW has chapters in Houlton, Caribou, and Presque Isle.