DNC Chairman Tim Kaine's Statement on Equal Pay Day

WASHINGTON, April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today is Equal Pay Day, the day when the average woman has worked enough extra days in the new year to tally up earnings equal to the average man's previous year's pay. When year-round, full-time workers are taken into account, the median income for women is just 78% of the median income for men. Thus, the average woman must work nearly 16 months to earn the same income that the average man earns in a year. In recognition of Equal Pay Day, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080519/DNCLOGO)

"Equal Pay Day commemorates one of the clearest and most pernicious effects of gender discrimination. Despite decades of work to grow opportunities and reduce inequalities for women in the workplace, women continue to earn just 78 cents on the dollar when compared to men. The income gap opens when a woman takes her first job, and it often persists until she leaves her last. Unfair pay practices cost families thousands of dollars in lost income every year – money that could have paid for a home, for a college education, or for retirement.

"President Obama and Democrats in Congress are working to address this problem. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which gives women the power they need to challenge unequal pay, was the first piece of legislation the President signed upon taking office. That Act represents progress, but much work remains to be done. To that end, I commend the President and Congressional Democrats for their ongoing efforts to ensure that every American – regardless of gender, race, or age – is able to earn equal pay for equal work."

SOURCE Democratic National Committee