By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022 at 5:17PM
The city of Albuquerque has agreed to pay $17 million to settle a collective action lawsuit brought by female employees who claimed the city “systematically” pays women less than their male colleagues.
“This is about righting a decade old wrong, and ensuring a lawful pay structure for all employees,” spokeswoman Ava Montoya said.
Mayor Tim Keller announced last month he was tightening down a program giving vendors competing for city contracts a preference if the disparity between salaries of their male and female employees did not exceed 7%.
The original incentive program to combat pay inequity was designed by activist Martha Burk and sponsored by City Councilor Diane Gibson in 2015. Under the new rule, a vendor must now have zero disparity to get the 5% preference.
By Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board
The City of Albuquerque filed a motion last week to try to prevent a class action lawsuit that alleges gender pay discrimination.
About 600 women joined four original plaintiffs in 2020 to create a class action lawsuit to seek redress for alleged gender pay discrimination. The original four plaintiffs filed their suit in 2018.
Susan Dunlap, NM Political Report
