HARRISBURG, APRIL 8, 2008 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today joined colleagues in the Capitol Rotunda to again call for a speedier end to the lingering pay disparity between men and women. “All employees should be able to provide for their children, save for retirement, and enjoy the benefit of their labor without being limited by discrimination based on their gender,” Tartaglione said. “More than 130,000 women serve as heads of households in Pennsylvania. These families have the same rights as households headed by males. These women should be paid the same amount as their male counterparts so that they can equally support their families.” President John F. Kennedy signed the “Equal Pay Act” in 1963 and the gap between the pay of men and women began to close. But in recent years, that momentum has slowed, and women now earn about 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man in a comparable job, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. For women of color, the numbers are even worse: African-American women earn 63 cents and Latinas earn 53 cents for every dollar paid to white men. The most recent projections show that women will not reach pay equality until 2050. According to the AFL-CIO, women who retire today at 62 will have earned more than $500,000 less than a man in the same job for the same length of service. “By bringing attention to this critical issue we hope that immediate action will be taken to guarantee the rights of women and ensure that they receive equal pay for equal work,” Tartaglione said. The author of Pennsylvania’s new minimum wage law, Tartaglione is the Democratic chair of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee and has earned a reputation as a fighter for working families and equal opportunity. Under Tartaglione’s bill, Pennsylvania’s minimum wage rose from $5.15 in 2006, to $7.15 for most workers this year. Two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women. For more information on the equal pay issue, visit www.pasenate.com/tartaglione
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