(Washington,
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following
statement recognizing April 20th as Equal Pay Day. This date
symbolizes how far into 2010 the average woman must work to earn what the
average man earned in 2009.
“Equal
Pay Day is a yearly reminder that even though women are doing the same jobs as
men and working just as hard every day, they still aren’t equal on one
important day – payday. So as we work to create jobs and expand our economy, we
must also remain committed to ensuring that all of our workers benefit equally
from equal work.
“Despite
years of progress, our country has still not yet completely eliminated
discrimination and unfairness in the workplace. There have been improvements,
but we are still not yet at the point where our daughters can expect to earn
the same amount over their lifetime as our sons. And that has got to change.
“Women
earn just seventy-eight cents for every dollar paid to their male
co-workers. This pay discrimination has real and harmful impacts on
families and for our nation as a whole. It hurts an individual’s ability
to earn a living and save for retirement, care for her children, and contribute
fully to society.
“That’s why I was such a strong
supporter of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that restored a worker’s ability
to fight for her rights in court. And it’s also why I cosponsored the Paycheck
Fairness Act, which gives America’s working women additional support to fight
for equal pay, as well as the Fair Pay Act, which requires employers to provide
equal pay for jobs that are comparable in skill, effort, responsibility, and
working conditions.
“Women have made great strides
in America. And on Equal Pay Day we should all commit to continuing that progress
by recognizing the full value of women’s skills and their significant
contributions to the labor force.”
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