Fischer urges McConnell to support pay equity for women
“In typical Washington fashion, Senator McConnell is blocking legislation that allows women to fight for their rights to equal pay. His obstructionism lets employers escape responsibility by hiding their decision to discriminate so they can run out the clock.”
This statement was released today in regard to Senator McConnell’s shortsighted and wrong decision
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Greg Fischer is disgusted by Senator Mitch McConnell refusal to support the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and to restore pay equity for women. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that aimed to restore anti-discrimination laws reversed in a Supreme Court ruling that established a tight time restrictions on pay discrimination lawsuits was voted down yesterday by the Senate. McConnell voted against the bill.
“Kentucky workers need strong anti-discrimination laws to ensure they are treated fairly and equally by employers—McConnell refuses to provide this protection time and again. Simply having these laws in place is not enough. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act clarifies a technicality in employment discrimination law and deters discriminatory practices in the workplace. It also ensures that when discrimination occurs, wronged employees receive fair compensation. McConnell should care more about the interest of Kentucky’s working people than the interest of businesses who wrongfully take advantage of their employees,” said Fischer.
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is only a step in correcting the pay differential between working women and men. “Women workers deserve equal compensation and deserve better than the 77 cents they earn to a man’s dollar. And, when they learn they’ve been paid unfairly, they deserve the right to go to court to seek compensation,” said Fischer.
If women received the same wages as men who work the same number of hours, have the same education and union status, are the same age, and live in the same region of the country, then these women’s annual income would rise by $4,000 and poverty rates would be cut in half, according to the National Organization for Women. “Quite simply, this bill would have allowed American’s working families to gain $200 billion in family income annually helping to offset the cost of groceries, gas and mortgages,” said Fischer.
“Women deserve a Senator they can trust to stand up for them and a workplace that values their work equally,” said Fischer. “Senator McConnell made it evident with his vote yesterday that he doesn’t value working women,” he said.
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007 was supported by the House of Representatives in July 2007 and was co-sponsored by Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth.
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