Betty Ballard; Union Leader Sought Equal Pay for Women
Betty Ballard, union leader who worked successfully for equal wages for women and family leave, has died at age 51.
She died Friday of cancer in Los Angeles, union spokesman David Miller said Wednesday.
Ms. Ballard had served as president of Local 3090 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees since 1984.
Although Ms. Ballard was credited with advancing wage and benefit provisions for men and women, she campaigned most strenuously for family leave, workplace child care and equal pay for women performing the same or comparable work as men.
Ms. Ballard negotiated a 1985 pay equity agreement that narrowed a historical pay gap between male and female city workers, and negotiated agreements on family leave and child care.
Ms. Ballard is survived by a daughter, DeLonda Lewis; a son, Troy Smith; four sisters and a brother, and one grandson.
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