Republicans Vote Against Equal Pay for Women-Unanimously

Republicans Vote Against Equal Pay for Women-Unanimously
Senate Republicans don't care about equal pay, privileging small business
over gender equality. The Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have expanded
womens' recourse against wage discrimination, died in the Senate today,
under the oft-invoked guise of protecting small business. Even some
previously pro-equal pay women turned their backs on the bill-Vermont
conservatives Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins both registered "no" votes.
Ironically, the bill failed by just two votes.



The bill would have worked to ensure equal pay for women, giving them more
remedies in the court system for wage discrimination.

The summary of the bill states that it "amends the portion of the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) known as the Equal Pay Act to revise remedies
for, enforcement of, and exceptions to prohibitions against sex
discrimination in the payment of wages."



After Fair Pay was annihilated, Obama released a strong statement expressing
his dismay. "I am deeply disappointed that a minority of Senators have
prevented the Paycheck Fairness Act from finally being brought up for a
debate and receiving a vote," he said. "This bill passed in the House almost
two years ago; today, it had 58 votes to move forward, the support of the
majority of Senate, and the support of the majority of Americans. As we
emerge from one of the worst recessions in history, this bill would ensure
that American women and their families aren't bringing home smaller
paychecks because of discrimination."

Marcia Greenberger, co-president of the National Women's Law Center, echoed
Obama's sentiments. "In this difficult economy, in which nearly 40 percent
of mothers are primary breadwinners, women shoulder increased responsibility
for supporting their families and cannot afford to have employers
discounting their salaries," she said in a statement. "Among other important
provisions, the law would make it illegal for employers to retaliate against
employees who seek to learn whether they are being paid unfairly."

Republicans' justification for killing the bill was based on the potential
for "excessive litigation against the small business community," aka bosses
who knowingly discriminate against their female employees might actually
have to own up to their actions in a court of law. Meanwhile, women still
earn 77 cents to every dollar a man earns, on average-a statistic that
hasn't changed in decades, and likely won't anytime soon. So thanks for
that, Republicans.

By Julianne Escobedo Shepherd | Sourced from AlterNet