Tuesday, Apr. 18 marks Equal Pay Day, which occurs at a pivotal time for U.S. workers, particularly women. As feminists call attention to the persistent gender wage gap, we would do well to demonstrate its link to the various ways government and big business are breeding economic injustice in this nation.
Today the Supreme Court will hear arguments in Wal-Mart v. Dukes — the largest employment class-action suit in U.S. history. The company’s challenge seeks to halt the case, which represents more than 1.5 million women, before it even gets to trial.
President Terry O’Neill says: “In his State of the Union, President Obama proclaimed this to be ‘our generation’s Sputnik moment.’ ” As the president reaches for the stars, NOW will be working to ensure that the women of this nation are lifted up as well.
The new Congress hasn’t taken office yet, but the writing already is on the wall. Efforts to advance women’s equality will be relegated to the back burner, or worse, actively torched. Today we witnessed conservatives in the Senate block the Paycheck Fairness Act, denying women a significant step toward finally closing the gender wage gap.
The National Organization for Women is outraged by the ignorant, homophobic comments Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) made on Friday at a conservative church rally, saying gay people and unwed sexually active women should not be teaching in public schools.