Wow! Talk About Pay Equity
To my horror, I read this earlier today —
The nine-time Wimbledon singles champion and tennis commentator [Martina Navratilova] says the BBC pays her 10 times less than fellow commentator John McEnroe for doing Wimbledon broadcasts. And she’s angry because she fears what’s happening to her happens to women everywhere.
Okay, let’s face it, not only does she have 9 championships compared to his 3, but her job is much, much harder than his, because she has to work with … John McEnroe.
Sounds like something from the comic strip Tank McNamara’ Sports Jerk of the Year contest – where’s Billie Jean King when you need her?
1Martina has a total of 21 Wimbledon Championships and McEnroe was pretty good for awhile, though he’s best known for still lingering immaturity on and off the court.
The younger generation, led by Venus Williams, among others, has been aggressively working for more equitable treatment on the tennis courts. They may have to follow the lead of the US women’s hockey and soccer teams. Patriarchal bigots love to discriminate.
2Working with John McEnroe should qualify her for hazard pay.
3Just watch how employers sputter when asked why their products or services cost the same as men have to pay – and in many cases, more – for the women they pay a smaller salary.
4Many, many years ago I saw Johnny Mac in a college tournament at my alma mater. That boy was an entitled little b*****d as a minor! No surprise he grew into the egotist he is today. Good player, but no Roger Federer as a gentleman or sportsman.
5Wow, that is shocking. How about figuring out how long each is on air plus research time and pay the same per unit of time (minute, hour, whatever).
6Ten times less? One tenth.
7I worked for an auto dealership many years ago, as I was beginning my working life; in that position I also did payroll. I was outraged to find that the kid that washed the cars on the used section made more than I did, as well as not cashing some of his checks because he lived at home and didn’t pay rent, so he let the checks lay in his dresser drawer and go “stale-dated”.
My boss refused to increase my pay. He also wanted to chase me around the desk, so I quit and found another job.
Life wasn’t fair years ago, and it still ain’t. I don’t care what the Lilly Ledbetter Law says.
8As a former tennis fan, I never understood other fans falling in behind the obnoxious McEnroe and his game. Of course he wasn’t the only problem in pro tennis but he led to a pack of obnoxious ungrateful “me me me” players and their families, who unfortunately changed an enjoyable spectator sport into an almost video game like spectacle. And their propensity for “trick” shots and “personality” on the court oozed out into the amateur game.
9Re: Lilly Lebetter Law – Untold millions have never heard of it and that includes state commissions that should be putting the squeeze on private industry in this regard. Also, a whole lot of private employers in love their measly selves refuse to even think of let alone read a law named after a woman. Seriously!
10Kathy Lette (very funny woman from Australia) said that the only support available to women athletes and commentators is their sports bras.
11