New Jersey State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan made a strong case that “a union contract is the greatest pay equalizer” during an event announcing new state legislation to help close the gender wage gap for women.
Laurel was among the invited speakers at the event hosted by Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Democratic Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg. It was held to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which was signed by President Obama to give women who were paid unfairly more time to seek a remedy.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO has been instrumental in the fight for equal pay for women on the national and state levels, and we continue to lead this fight on behalf of all our union working families.
Laurel amplified the call for joining and remaining active in a union, noting that the best way to eliminate the gender wage gap is a union contract. Union members earn equal pay for equal work regardless of gender.
If you are in a union, stay in a union. If you aren’t as active as you could be, now is the time to become a full-fledged member of your local. While it’s unfortunate we are still talking about equal pay for equal work in 2016, we will continue to stand with – and fight side by side with – elected leaders who are committed to ending pay discrimination for women once and for all.
The best anti-poverty program is the labor movement! We need to be engaged in this fight together.