Last week – just one day after Equal Pay Day – Senate Republicans came together in a brazen act to block progress for women. Every single Republican present in the Senate voted to filibuster the Paycheck Fairness Act, common sense legislation that would strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and provide tougher remedies for pay discrimination.
They thought they could get away with it – but this fight isn’t over. The Feminist Majority will not rest until the gender wage gap is closed, but we can’t do it without you. We need your support to keep the momentum going and keep our efforts strong.
Equal pay for women is common sense. A majority of Americans – men and women – support it. But for too long, women have suffered financial hardship and discrimination at work. On average, women still earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, and women of color are particularly hard hit. Black women earn 64 cents for every dollar made by white men and Latinas just 54 cents. Enough is enough. We must stop shortchanging women!
It’s just too important. The pay gap costs women about $434,000 over the course of their careers – impacting the ability of women to support themselves, provide for their families, and care for their loved ones. The pay gap also cuts into women’s Social Security, pensions, and retirement.
The fight is long, but we’ve had some breakthroughs – first with the Lily Ledbetter Act and now with President Obama’s recent Executive Order prohibiting federal contractors from retaliating against employees who discuss their compensation, a practice that prevents women from even knowing that they are being paid less!
But we will not stop fighting until equal pay is a reality for all women workers. To do that, we need your help. Stand with the Feminist Majority and make a donation today.