Baldwiin Statement on National Equal Pay Day

Baldwin Statement on National Equal Pay Day

Each year, the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) organizes the national observance of Equal Pay Day to raise awareness about unfair pay for women and people of color in America. This year, Tuesday, April 25th, symbolizes the day when women's wages catch up to men's wages from the previous year. Because women on average earn less, they must work longer for the same pay. For women of color, the wage gap is even greater.

The issue of equal pay for women was highlighted when President John Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act in 1963. However, since the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, the wage gap between men and women has been closing at a slow rate. In 1963, women who worked full-time, year-round, made 59 cents on average for every dollar earned by men. In 2004 (the latest year for which data are available), women earned 77 cents to the dollar. This means that the wage gap has narrowed by less than half a cent per year. And median earnings for women of color continue to be lower, in general, than earnings for men as a whole. Only a portion of the difference in pay can be explained by experience, education, or qualifications.

In this Congress, and every session in which I've served, I support the Paycheck Fairness Act, (HR 1687) which would strengthen the Equal Pay Act to provide more effective remedies to women who are not being paid equal wages for doing equal work and ensure that women will finally earn what men earn for doing the same job.

Equal pay for equal work is a common sense issue which affects all working women and their families. Eradicating unfair treatment in the labor market is one way Americans can demonstrate our commitment to working toward the common good and fairness for all.

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