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Show The Salt Lake Tribune OPINION Sunday, December27,1998 Salvation From the Gender Gap inTheir Pension Payments BY RICHARD JOHNSON KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWS SERVICE WASHINGTON — With the White in 1976). These women with pensions, although the fortunate few, do not receive as muchpension income as mendo. While menreceived $6,400 on averagein 1996, House Conference on Social Security focusing our attention on ways of reforming Social Security,the plight of millions womenreceived an average of $3,700. This second gap hasn’t beenclosing. Women’s median pensionshad about the same purchasing powerin 1996 as they did in 1976. Meanwhile, men’s grew by almost an eighth. For younger women, prospects are decidedly better, thanks largely to changes in the employment experiences of most women over the past quarter century. Since the early 1970s, gender differences in pension coverage have been fad- of single womenover65 deservesspecial notice. This group, amongthe poorest in the country, represents perhaps thelast generation of women who in great numbers did not work outside the home, worked for much lower wages andbenefits than males of the same ageorput in fewer hours per week or fewertotal years, As homemakers or workers, most weren't paid well, so they now haveei- ing steadily. ther no private pensions or low-paying In 1972, only 38 percent of women working full time in the private sector onesto supplementoften-inadequate Social Security payments. Perhaps the only hadanypension benefits, compared with consolation is that these women's daugh- 54 percentof men.In 1993, roughly half ters are going to fare better. Just over half as many elderly American women as menreceive any private of both did. Onereason the gap between male and female pensionersis closing is that women’s payis slowly catching up with men’s, and higher-paid jobs are morelikely to pension income. In 1996, the figures were 34 percent of men and18 percent of women (up from 9 percent of women come with retirementbenefits. The Prosperous Tribes Should Provide Jobs for Unemployed BY TIM GIAGO KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSSERVICE instance, if the unemployment rate in South Dakotais listed at 4 tribes or Indian nations in a position to pursue this idea. Casinos tremely high unemployment. At thetime, there were nottoo many ing vations were included. This failure to report the unem- self asking, ‘Where are the Indians?” I will place this idea on the table once more. Why don’t indian nations with lucrative gaming ventures build dormitories or low-income housing on their lands and hire Indians from tribes with extremely high unemployment to dollars to depressed areas. On large reservations, such as the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Res- ervations in South Dakota (combined populations of more than 30,000), and on the Navajo Na- tion of Arizona, New Mexico,Col- with a very small population. mate men’s even sooner. Since the long-term economic weather forecast for women looks good and the wayto align men’s and women’s pensions is clear enough, the need to protect single womenwho are already over 65 from the current droughtneed not overwhelm policy-makers. ‘These older women are the last survi- BY TOM PLATE LOS ANGELES men whoneverhad pension income, or their husbands died or their marriages ended, They need support that will allow themeconomic security. This might includeincreases in Supplemental Securi- ty Income payments and SocialSecurity survivor benefits or minimum benefits payable under Social Security. The need for this supportwill prove to be temporary as the gender gap in pension cover- ageandsize slowly closes. But what might the daughters of these women want in the years ahead? How about fair treatment in the labor force, greater access to low-risk pension plans and educationon investing wisely? Richard Johnson is a researcher in the UrbanInstitute's Retirement Project and author of the forthcoming report, “The Gender Gap in Pension Wealth.” struct his aides to treat Japan as something more than a punching bag. There's another outside pressure problem that diplomatic revolving door, with seven prime ministers in the last eight years, Japan should hardly concerns Komura. This is the never-ending, World laugh at America for the sorry impeachment spectacle in Washington. Still, it's nearly impossible for the sure, particularly from Asian politicians, for apolo- Japaneseto believe that much good can comeout of President Clinton's calamity. What they do believe, though, is that they, too, have a stake in the outcome. For Japan, whic! h lost nothing less than a world shapein manyinstances. warto the United States and then saw Americalift it “Indians helping Indians’ wasn't a bad motto in the 1960s importantbilateral 1 paper. are now elderly widows or divorced wowho watchedit drop or disappear after leadership plainly hopes that the president will in- TIMES TOKYO As a nation that has offered the world a Nation and the Pine Ridge and Today, a national weekly news- as though income wereincidental. Many Japan’s an Ally But Won’t Stand Pressure first hand, the povertythat exists there. Third World countries around the globe are in better Tim Giago is editor-in-chief and publisher ofIndian Country vors of the postwar world in which most women worked in the home orwere paid back onits feet, the United States makesforits most relationship. But this year has been rocky on tha t score. In addition to lingering bitterness over the U.S. president's long-planned, well-publicized, nit ine-day summertime sojourn to China, which dwarfed his hastily arranged two-day visit to Japan monthslater, Tokyo resents Washington’s public criticismsof its policies. Still, Japan'slea ders tend to regard Clinton himself as moreperson: ally andi xymp. ic to Japan than almost anyone else in his government. So, with both U.S.-Japan relations and Clinton’s presidencyata critical juncture, I called on Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi’s alter ego in many respects,for a candid assessmentof the U.S.-Japanrelationship. WarII apologycontroversy: The unrelenting presgies for past wartime brutality Japan's leadership and much ofits public believes that China’s President Jiang Zemin overdid the “apology diplomacy” duringhis statevisit to Japan last month. Says Komura: “Hardly anybodyin Japan feels that it was a good idea that Japanese forces went into China. It was Japan that was at fault. But even those many Japanese who feel that way also have a sensethat even in that case, do they have to apologize and apologize and apologize every time they meet someone from another Asian country?” ‘The goal of Chinese diplomacy, the Japanese absolutelybelieve,is to drive a wedge between Tokyo and Washington, by remindingthelatter that just half a century ago they wereat eachother's throats. In reply, Japanese diplomacy seeks to make sure Washington knowswhoits true friendsare. An inter- nationalcrisis provides just that opportunity. Late last week, when the United States and Britain commenced the bombingof Baghdad, Iraq, China imme- diately protested. But not Japan. As a seasoned diplomat, Komura wouldn't touch America’s impeachment controversy with a 10-foot kendo sword. But if Clinton survives, the Japanese Times columnist Plate teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles. 1000 AT&T Minutes Only $19.99/month..: staff some of the many job positions offered by their business ventures? In the 1960s, the motto of many Indian businesses and programs was “Indians helping Indians.” That message appears to have “ Home:CoverageArea Utah & Southern Idaho?* been lostin the 1990s as the gap The Prairie Wind Casino on the between Pine Ridge Reservation provides about 200 full-time jobs. dren, women’s pensions will approxi- income that two plans usually furnish. Progress toward gender equalityin to- ing can be changed when it is done voluntarily. “Indians helping Indians” should become the motto of the new millennium. of America and you'll find your- or get a pension credit for raising chil- men, morewill enjoy the higher pension cessful Indian nations. Relocation was a bad wordin the 1950s becauseit was forced, but its mean- Consequently, most employees working in these these figures when distributing Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations are located in a vast region hiring. payand if women can work more years force and take jobs once held only by meaningful in the 1990s now that there are so manyfinancially suc- major, revenue-producing casinosare non-Indians. Just visit any of the casinos in the eastern part ployed on Indianlands creates a very distorted perception of a state’s economic condition. The bean counters in Washington use percent. The Navajo do not own gamingcasinos and those on the and breadwinnerscontinue to gain on men in As more women moveinto the labor and it could become much more were new to them and they were in the process of building, grow- percent, you can betthatit would rise to about 10 percentif all of the unemployed on Indianreser- orado and Utah (population of more than 200,000), unemployment is as high as 50 percent to 70 My to Indians from tribes with ex- vations within the boundaries of moststates are not included. For some 24 percent of men — butonly 16 percent of women — had both the conventional defined-benefits plans (which pay out a set amount depending on the worker's final salary and yearsof service) and tax-deferred savings accounts built up jointly by employers and employees. Rosebud reservations and see, I suggested one possible cure a idea wasto havethe successfulIndian casino owners provide jobs ban Institute suggest that if female ger workers. Economic models developed at the Ur- Theotherfactor is the type of pension leaders from the moresuccessful nations should visit the Navajo to treating a major wound has Suggestion was premature. coverage men and womenget. In 1992, major problems faced by reservation Indians moving to urban centers - adequate housing. Tribal few years back, but perhaps the other places with large Indian populations. Moreoften than not, unemployment figures on the Indian reser- job tenure account for most of this gulf, whichis already shrinking among youn- housing becausethatis oneof the provenineffective between men and womenin wages and New data from the NationalInstitute on Aging suggest that about two-thirds of the male-female gap in pension wealth stems from such differencesin earnings. zens of other Indiannations avail- gram has failed because there has never been any long-range plan- South Dakota, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and in more. compared with a little more than $68,000 for womenworking full time. But the good news is that differences able to fill job vacancies. I suggested the Indian nations build dormitories or low-income ning and the Band-Aid approach Only the uninformed would believe the unemploymentstatistics released by state governmentsin just over $120,000(attheir current job), for both sexes. In 1992, the median pension nest egg of men 51 to 61 who worked full time was pensions, compared with 90 percent of those pulling down $15 per hour or and many, many moreskilled citi- Costly program after costly pro- tal pension wealth will probablybe slower than that toward equitable coverage For a perspective on just how much such parityis worth to retirees, consider that in 1992 (the most recent year for which data are available) only about a fourth of full-time workers earning $6 or less per hour in midlife were covered by the “haves” and ASK ABOUT OUR HOLIDAY SPECIAL! the “have nots’ has continued to grow. If we keep in mind that 90 Com- paredto a casino on anIndianres- percent of the incomederived by gaming establishments on Indian ervation in Minnesota that em- ploys more than 4,000, the jobs OMNISERVE NOKIA 5160 $179.99. reservations is earned by only 5 percent of the Indian fribes, it provided at Pine Ridge are minus- cule. www.omniservecellular.com puts it in perspective. The rich mayget richer, but the poor are Use your imagination. Suppose the city of Detroit had an unem- still poor. Thousands of unemployed Indi- ploymentratio of say 60 percent It would be considereda national disaster area. Granted, the unem- Authorized Deal ler Se ees ans would gladlyrelocate to Minnesota, NewYorkor Arizona(and ployment in Detroit is probably otherstates) to fill the job pos can cities, but it does not come anywherenear 60 percent. History has made it apparent tions offered by the Indian nations operating large and successful casinos and other business ventures. There areintelligent, higherthan in most major Ameri- that the either thestates a federal government(nortribal governments for that matter) have found a way to reduce the unemployment on the Navajo, Pine Park City- trainable Indiansjust waiting for an opportunity. For other business ventures there are Indian mechanics, electricians, plumb ers, carpenters, convenience store Ridge or Rosebud reservations. 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