CWA 1180 - Political Action

Obama Signs Equal Pay Bill

By Brian Montopoli

January 29, 2009 by CBS News

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/01/29/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4762222.shtml

Barack Obama today signed the first bill of his
presidency, a piece of legislation known as the Lilly
Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act that makes it easier
for workers to sue after discovering what they believe
to be pay discrimination.

In signing the bill, Mr. Obama said that it sends the
message "that there are no second class citizens in our
workplaces, and that it's not just unfair and illegal
-- but bad for business -- to pay someone less because
of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion or
disability."

The legislation is named after Ledbetter, 70, who
worked at Goodyear Tire & Rubber in Alabama for nearly
20 years before discovering that she was being paid
less than men who were doing the same job. She became
the face of workplace discrimination during Mr. Obama's
presidential campaign, speaking at the Democratic
National Convention and appearing in commercials for
the then-Illinois senator.

The legislation, which Congress passed on Tuesday,
effectively overturns a two-year-old, 5-4 Supreme Court
decision that found that Ledbetter did not have grounds
to sue because she did not discover the alleged pay
discrimination within six months of it first taking
place.

The bill signed by Mr. Obama today changes the rules so
that Ledbetter and workers like her can sue within six
months of discovering the alleged pay discrimination,
regardless of when it began.

The Bush White House and Senate Republicans had
previously blocked efforts to bring forth such
legislation, which they suggested could encourage
lawsuits.

The president signed the bill at a ceremony in the East
Room of the White House, with Ledbetter at his side.
Also present were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton and representatives from
women's and labor groups.

"This bill is an important step -- a simple fix to
ensure fundamental fairness to American workers -- and
I want to thank this remarkable and bi-partisan group
of legislators who worked so hard to get it passed,"
the president said. "And this is only the beginning. I
know that if we stay focused, as Lilly did -- and keep
standing for what's right, as Lilly did -- we will
close that pay gap and ensure that our daughters have
the same rights, the same chances, and the same freedom
to pursue their dreams as our sons."

c 2009, CBS Interactive Inc.

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