PRINTER'S NO. 1570
No. 239 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, TARTAGLIONE, KITCHEN, M. WHITE, LOGAN,
CONTI, KUKOVICH, O'PAKE, D. WHITE, SCHWARTZ, COSTA, FERLO,
BRIGHTBILL, WAGNER, TOMLINSON, EARLL, GREENLEAF, PIPPY,
KASUNIC, RHOADES, RAFFERTY, CORMAN AND STACK, APRIL 26, 2004
REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, APRIL 26, 2004
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating April 20, 2004, as "Equal Pay Day" in Pennsylvania.
2 WHEREAS, Current statistics show that women in the work force
3 have continually encountered the problem of lower salaries than
4 men for equal work; and
5 WHEREAS, Despite legislation on both the Federal and State
6 levels banning discrimination, differences persist between
7 genders in compensation; and
8 WHEREAS, It is estimated that women earn 77¢ to every dollar
9 earned by men for the same work compared to 63¢ in 1979; and
10 WHEREAS, Studies show that in recent years, women have
11 actually lost ground in some industries. Female managers in the
12 fields of communications, finance, professional medical services
13 and retail are making on average less per dollar earned by a
14 male counterpart than they did in 1995. Entertainment and
15 recreation services managers saw the biggest drop. Women earned
16 83% of men's salaries in 1995, but that dropped to 62% in 2000;
1 and
2 WHEREAS, Equal pay is a family issue that affects the earning
3 power and quality of life for women, men and children; and
4 WHEREAS, The Constitution of Pennsylvania prohibits denial or
5 abridgment of equality of rights because of sex; further,
6 section 6(d) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (52 Stat.
7 1060, 29 U.S.C. § 206(d)) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
8 of 1964 (Public Law 88-352, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.) prohibit
9 pay discrimination for men and women doing the same job; and
10 WHEREAS, All the residents of this Commonwealth will benefit
11 from equal pay; and
12 WHEREAS, It is essential that all Pennsylvanians be aware of
13 the need for and benefits of equal pay; therefore be it
14 RESOLVED, That the Senate designate April 20, 2004, as "Equal
15 Pay Day" in Pennsylvania.
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