County BPW supports ‘paycheck fairness’ for women

To the editor:
    On March 6, the Paycheck Fairness Act was re-introduced in the 110th Congress by Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.). According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, women continue to receive unequal pay for the same work; on average women earn 77 cents for every dollar a man.     On Tuesday, April 22, 2008 the Caribou and Fort Kent BPW will join thousands of women from across the United States in a national day of action against unfair pay called Equal Pay Day. Because women earn less, we must work longer for the same pay. April signifies the point into the next year that a woman must work in order to earn the wages paid to a man in the previous year.
    According to the AFL-CIO over a 40 year career, the average 25 year-old woman who works full-time will earn approximately $523,000 less than the average man, if current wage patterns continue. As a workingwoman, I am extremely concerned about pay inequity not only for myself, but for my family.
    Fair pay takes real change and we can make a difference! Here in Fort Kent we will join hundreds of other BPW/USA members across the nation to educate women and men about pay inequity and to offer solutions to wage discrimination.
    In Fort Kent, BPW members will be accepting a Proclamation from the Fort Kent City Council, acknowledging Tuesday, April 22th as Equal Pay Day in Fort Kent. The proclamation will further encourage the business community to review their pay practices and to perform an Equal Pay Self-Audit provided by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau.
Geri L. Martin
Event Chair