Vermont Business Magazine Today, more than 60 Vermont women signed the following op-ed in support of Matt Dunne for Governor:
Matt Dunne for Governor, A Progressive Plan for Gender Equality in Vermont
A few months ago, an upsetting story was making the rounds on social media: a woman with no maternity leave, the sole income earner in her family, journaled her return to work 20 days after giving birth. As mothers, and as women, we were saddened and angered by this story. How could this be happening in 2016 in the United States? Even more upsetting is the fact that this single story represents countless working mothers who are in the same or worse situations — no maternity leave, no job protection if they choose to take time off after welcoming a new baby, and certainly no paid leave to help support their growing family while they’re away from work.
While our country has fallen well behind its global peers, Vermont still has the opportunity to be a leader on policies that would make women’s equality a reality - from paid family leave to pay equity. And this year, one candidate for Governor has the vision, leadership skills and relationships to help our state stand out as a place where women have the opportunity to thrive: Matt Dunne.
Paid family leave is at the core of Matt’s policy agenda. Matt has grown a small business in our state and worked here on the leadership team of a Fortune 500 company, and he knows that family-friendly policies can co-exist with a business-friendly environment.
Matt’s plan would provide an opt-in program for workers to contribute to a state-run paid leave insurance policy, with employees buying in through an employee payroll tax. This would extend to all workers - not just women - giving all working Vermonters an opportunity to take six weeks off to care for a newborn, a newly adopted child or a sick family member. Matt knows that when both working women and working men have the ability to take time from work to care for a family member, women are less likely to shoulder the financial and career burdens they currently face under a system that often implicitly pushes women to be the primary caretakers and then penalizes them for stepping away from work to do so.
It doesn’t have to be that way, and Matt’s plan will guarantee it doesn’t stay that way in Vermont.
Matt is also committed to fighting to guarantee that every woman has control over her reproductive choices. He comes from a line of warriors for a woman’s right to choose, in fact, Matt’s grandmother was the first head of Planned Parenthood in Northern New York. As Governor, he will make sure Vermont retains its place as a national leader in defending reproductive rights, including supporting legislation to make this the first state in the country where every woman has access — if they want it — to free, long-term birth control.
While Matt is focused on policy changes he also knows that in order for there to be true equality there must be transparency in state government. Matt’s agenda includes actionable steps to strictly enforce equal pay legislation and publish statistics on pay equity for state workers. And he’ll ensure a diverse group of women have robust representation in state government — an area where we’re sorely falling behind.
Vermonters have a choice to make on Primary Day that will have long lasting implications for the future. A vote for Matt Dunne is a vote in support of a progressive policy agenda that will make Vermont a better place for women to live, work and raise a family.
Signed:
Kimberly Aakre, Hartland
Bettina Abrams, Wilder
Judy Bevans, Craftsbury
Caroline Bright, Georgia
Marsha Carmichael, Ascutney
Melissa Charyk, Sharon
Anna Colavito, Stowe
Mari Cordes, Lincoln
Denise Cote, South Strafford
Claire Crowley, Worcester
Marguerite Dibble, Landgrove
Pippa Drew, Post Mills
Joie Finley, South Strafford
Nancy Foote, Hartland
Nora Foote, Hartland
Debbie Frankle-Reese, South Strafford
Mary Victor Giersch, Strafford
Barbara Grimes, Burlington
Maryanne Hamilton, Shelburne
Georgia Hanchett-Dean, Hartford
Ali Hannigan, Hartford
Hannah Hatch, Vergennes
Nancy Heyl, Hartford
Sarah Holmes, Burlington
Cheryl Hooker, Rutland
Winifred Howe, Hartland
Fauna Hurley, Burlington
Sarah Judd, Burlington
Stephanie Kalina, Wilder
Peggy Kannenstine, Woodstock
Mary Kehoe, Burlington
Kira Kelley, Hartland
Johanna Knowles, Woodstock
Sara Kobylenski, North Hartland
Emilie Krasnow, Charlotte
Susan Krasnow, Charlotte
Barbara Lane, Hartland
Cindy Metcalf, Bethel
Catie Michael, South Burlington
Jill Michaels, South Strafford
Anne H. Mook, Bennington
Kate Mortimer, Thetford Center
Alexa Platt, Burlington
Julie Raboin, Newport
Barbara Rachelson, Burlington
Ann Raynolds, Quechee
Patricia Richardson, Woodstock
Amy Robb, Pomfret
Judith Rocchio, White River Junction
Kimberly Souza, White River Junction
Jane Stetson, Norwich
Sarah Taylor, Hartland
Tricia Temple, Weathersfield
Judith Tharinger, Corinth
Jessica Tidman, South Strafford
Christine Traverson, Sharon
Shannon Tzrinske, Randolph
Nicole Vecchi, Norwich
Laura Wilson, Guildhall
Karen Woodbury, South Strafford
Kelly Young, Montpelier