Blog #4

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 – Did it really work???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQTYZPuk3D8

Rep. Miller talking about the Equal Paycheck along with the new Paycheck Fairness Act!

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 came from a multitude of events. When WWII struck back in the 1940’s, the National Labor  Board encouraged employers to employee female since so many men were sent off to fight. Once the men came back the women were pushed out of the workforce. This was when the Rosie the Riveter  iconic image was created.  Until the early 1960’s employers published job listing for men and women seperately. “Help Wanted – Male.”  The Equal Pay Act of 1963 made it illegal to pay men and women differently for similar work.

The women went on strike, creating signs saying “Equal Pay –NOW!” and “Equal Work Deserves Equal Pay.”  These women pushed the fact that they stepped in when America needed it most, they proved they could do the same work as men yet they’re still not receiving equal pay.

These protest took place in the streets and infront of companies were these women felt they were being underpaid. They disrupted business by causing a scene.

Unfortunately, I’d say this Equal Pay Act even with the women’s support didn’t really work.  In 1960’s women earned 59 cents for every 64 cents a man made. There were two court cases that really brought this issue to the table even after the law was already established. One was Schultz v. Wheaton Glass Co. and another was Corning Glass Works v. Brennan. In one case the employer argued “simply because men would not work at the low rates paid women.”

Here is when women really started to take a stand. Although women in society pushed for the Equal Pay Act, even today with the Obama as President he has put emphasis on the unfairness of unequal pay. He stated “ Equal pay is by no means just a women’s issue- it’s a family issue… And in this economy, when so many folks are already working harder for less and struggling to get by, the last thing they can afford is losing part of each month’s paycheck to simple discrimination.”

As of now women are still fighting for our equal payrights, although we start out with the same pay as men. It is said that men advance faster and to higher up positions with better pay. Even recently a Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act has been put into place because one women, Lilly Ledbetter fought for her rights to regain they pay she missed out on. This is just one more way women are fighting this injustice. The nest course of action for equal pay between races is the Paycheck Fairness Act which would be a much needed revision of the 1963, Equal Pay Act.

This movement I have heard about but never really took time to research, after learning more about this topic and how unfair pay in our society still is today I’m baffled. We live in a place that is prided about the American dream, equal opportunity for everyone but something as simple as gender trashes that ideal of American culture.

Since 1963, after the Equal Pay Act was signed the wage gap has been cosing at a rate about half a penny each year. Although this is progress there is still work that needs to be done.  It’s very sad, half a penny each year is such a microscopical amount. That’s maybe four more cents a day, if you work an eight hour day.  

This can relate to what we have been talking about in class recently with the unfair wages going to farmers in third world countries. Their unfair pay has led to many downfalls in the third world countries. Suicides, hunger, and debt have all been created due to unfair wages. Corporations don’t care about the middle man or even the little guy they just want to make as much money as possible for themselves and that’s it.

Both issues boil down to a simple statement made by Patel,

 “The problem is one of power and control”.

 Here are more images of the women's equal rights strike.