Take a Minute for Fair Pay!

I don’t know about you, but I’d like to close the wage gap between men and women in my lifetime. And with the Paycheck Fairness Act we have an opportunity to take another step toward making that happen. This Equal Pay Day, join me in urging the U.S. Senate to support the Paycheck Fairness Act.

It only takes a minute, and it could make a real difference for you and the mothers, sisters, friends and others in your life. Click the link below to send a letter to your Senators today!

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Dear Friend, I just took action with MomsRising in honor of Equal Pay Day. Will you take action too, and stand up for fair pay for women? Here's some more info: I have to admit. Sometimes it gets tiring saying and re-saying: “Women need equal pay for equal work.” After all, isn’t that something that got fixed several decades ago? An old problem that disappeared decades ago when separate want ads for men and women stopped? Not. In fact, equal pay for equal work is so not resolved that today—April 20, 2010—is the date in 2010 to which women must work to earn what men earned in 2009. Yes, it’s Equal Pay Day today. *Tell your Senators that the ridiculously long-term pay inequity women experience can’t be ignored: Urge them to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act now: http://action.momsrising.org/go/campaign_27140/88?akid=.7.FhFtKK&t=4&source=taf And please take a moment now to also forward this email to your friends and family so they can take action too. It’s going to take many, many voices to remind the Senate that playing “ostrich” and sticking their heads in the sand won’t make this problem go away. (Remember the U.S. Senate is comprised of only 17% women at this point, so our reminding them to take action on fair pay is much needed). You might now be wondering: What’s with this pay inequity for women anyway? Here are a few cold hard facts to fire up your engines for contacting your Senators: - On the whole, women working full-time, year-round make an average of 77 cents to every dollar that men make. [1] - Mothers are particularly hard-hit by the wage gap. Moms have an increased wage hit and still make only 73 cents to every dollar that men make, while single mothers make even less at about 60 cents to every dollar that men make. [2] - Given equal resumes and job experiences mothers are offered $11,000 lower starting salaries than non-mothers. Interestingly, fathers are offered higher starting salaries thank non-fathers. [3] - The average woman loses $700,000 in pay due to gender discrimination in her lifetime. For women of color, this number can be even higher. [4] Fired up yet? I am. $700,000 would go a long way—especially considering how tough it is for many families to make ends meet during this economic downturn. Did you know that according to the USDA, 1 in 4 children in our nation are experiencing food scarcity due to family economic limitations? Given that women are now 50% of the labor force, and that 80% of women have kids by the time they are 44 years old, cutting down the wage gap would go a long, long way to help our country’s children and families. Not to mention, it's just the right thing to do! Speaking of help: Passing the Paycheck Fairness Act would help narrow the wage gap by giving the 46-year-old Equal Pay Act a much-needed update. It’s a comprehensive bill that would: - Create stronger incentives for employers to follow the law; - Empower women to negotiate for equal pay; - Strengthen federal outreach, education and enforcement efforts; - Deter wage discrimination by strengthening penalties for equal pay violations and by prohibiting retaliation against workers who ask about employers' wage practices or disclose their own wages. Many opponents of fair pay legislation blame the wage gap on women "choosing" to make less than men. But the data shows over and over again that in a straight across line up of equal resumes, women are still paid less than men for the same work. [5] It's time for that to change. *Urge your Senators get moving and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act: http://action.momsrising.org/go/campaign_27140/88?akid=.7.FhFtKK&t=6&source=taf This bill has already passed the House, and the President stands ready to sign it, so the ball is in the Senate’s court. You know it, I know it, and your Senators need to know it: We’re tired of unequal pay for equal work. And, in these tough economic times pay equity is even more critical, not simply to family economic security, but also to the nation's economic recovery. Thank you. Together we are a powerful voice for women, children, and families. - Kristin, Ariana, Joan, Mary, Katie, Donna, Julia, Anita, Ruth, Sarah, Nanette, Claire and the MomsRising team [1] http://action.momsrising.org/go/89?akid=.7.FhFtKK&t=8&source=taf and http://action.momsrising.org/go/90?akid=.7.FhFtKK&t=10&source=taf [2] Jane Waldfogel, “Understanding the ‘Family Gap’ in Pay for Women with Children,” Journal of Economic Perspectives 12, no. 1 (1998): 137-56. [3] http://action.momsrising.org/go/91?akid=.7.FhFtKK&t=12&source=taf [4]   http://action.momsrising.org/go/92?akid=.7.FhFtKK&t=14&source=taf [5] U.S. General Accounting Office, Women’s Earnings: Work Patterns Partially Explain Difference between Men’s and Women’s Earnings 2, GAO-04-35 (Oct. 2003), available at http://action.momsrising.org/go/93?akid=.7.FhFtKK&t=16&source=taf

As a member of MomsRising.org I urge you to take immediate action on pay equity by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act without any weakening amendment.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restored to women the right to go to court to challenge pay discrimination.  But more is necessary to realize the promise of equal pay for equal work.

The Paycheck Fairness Act would deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act and barring retaliation against workers who disclose their wages. The bill also allows women and men to receive the same remedies for sex-based pay discrimination that are currently available to those subject to discrimination based on race and national origin.  In addition, the bill would improve the collection of pay information by the Department of Labor and the EEOC to enable those agencies to evaluate pay disparities; facilitate class actions in Equal Pay Act claims to ensure that the rules that apply to civil rights lawsuits generally also govern the Equal Pay Act; and spark the development of salary negotiation skills training.

Now is the time for Congress to take the steps necessary to effectively address wage discrimination and eliminate loopholes that have undermined the Equal Pay Act's effectiveness.

Again, I urge you to vote to approve the Paycheck Fairness Act when it comes to the floor, and to oppose any weakening amendments.

I look forward to your response.

Thank you,