Black workers trail far behind in pay, opportunity

NorthJersey.com
Published: February 26, 2007
By Walter Dawkins 

African-Americans continue to earn much less than whites -- even with equal education levels and in the same jobs.

Experts attribute the overall pay disparity to a legacy of racism, differences in education levels, and fewer affirmative action policies. They say the keys to narrowing this wage gap are increasing career training, educating African-Americans about their rights and how to spot and combat discrimination, and training employers on diversity issues.

According to the National Urban League, the median income for blacks in theUnited States was only $34,369 in 2004 compared with $55,768 for whites. In New Jersey, black households earned $41,236 compared with $69,665 for their white counterparts, according to a 2005 U.S. Census report…[T]he situation is even worse for black women, who nationally earn only $30,766 compared with $55,354 for white males with similar education…

One way to bring about change is by speaking up, advocates say.

About 8,600 black and Hispanic employees have filed a class-action suit against New Brunswick-based Johnson & Johnson, alleging that minority managers make between 5.2 percent and 8.39 percent less than their white counterparts.

"It's a company where the good ol' boy system rules and there's favoritism toward white employees at the expense of people of color," lawyer Cyrus Mehri said of the 2001 suit, which is ongoing. "It's hard for white America to fully understand it, but the racial barriers still exist in corporate America and from time to time people have to stand up and courageously bring about change."