Democratic Women Leaders Call For Equal Pay For Women Workers

DEMOCRATIC WOMEN LEADERS CALL FOR EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN WORKERS

WASHINGTON, DC–Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Vice-Chair of the Democratic Women Working Group and Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA), Chair of the Democratic Women Working Group, released the following statement regarding Equal Pay Day.

"Today nearly forty-four years after President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, gender pay disparities still exist in astonishing numbers, forcing American women to work longer just to earn the same amount of money as their male colleagues. Back in 1963 when the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, American women who worked full-time, year-round earned 59 cents on average for every dollar earned by men. By 2005 women were earning 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. While a half a cent per year wage increase is progress, we think America can do better for its working women and the families that depend on them.

"To address this persistent pay gap we are strongly encouraging all of our colleagues to join us in support of the H.R. 1338, the Paycheck Fairness Act. This legislation would strengthen the Equal Pay Act to provide better solutions for women who are still not being paid equal wages for doing equal work. It would also create incentives for employers that work to eliminate pay disparities and allow the Department of Labor to enhance its outreach and training efforts to work with employers to eliminate the pay gap.

"The common sense measures in the Paycheck Fairness Act will go a long way towards eliminating the gender pay gap that persists in our country and we hope that bill moves quickly through the legislative process. After all, supporting equal pay for equal work is not just a woman's issue. Ultimately it's a fairness issue. Women who work hard everyday should receive the same compensation as their male counterparts. We hope that it won't take another forty-four years to close this gap. Working women and their families deserve better for the work that they do for our country....