American Equality in Pay Issues

The struggle for pay equity is part of America's evolving sense of what is fair and just. After all, slavery was once an accepted part of this democratic nation; union

demands were an illegal restraint of trade; married women had no property rights; women workers had no right to their earnings; child labor was common; unequal

pay for women was an accepted practice. Society took no notice when job rates dropped as women, instead of men, were hired to do them (librarians and

secretaries, for example). Today, most Americans support equal pay for work of comparable (not merely identical) value. It is past time to ensure it is achieved.

1932 - Federal Economic Act passes to ban wives of federal employees from holding government positions. It also declares that women with employed husbands

be first on the lists for firing.

1935 - National Recovery Act requires women who hold jobs with the government to receive 25 percent less pay than men in the same jobs.

1942 - War Labor Board rules women must be paid same job rate as men (now off to war) were paid. War ends before rule can be enforced. No law requires

either pay equity or equal pay.

1950's - Equal pay bills are introduced by Sen. Wayne Morse (D-OR) and Rep. Edith Green (D-OR); Republican versions by New York Reps. Katherine St.

George and Jessica Weis. No results.

1961 - Labor activist Esther Peterson heads Women's Bureau, gains responsibility for pushing legislation, gathers data, builds coalitions, wins allies. Equal Pay bill is

introduced. Original bill includes comparable worth, stronger enforcement; final bill does not.

1963 - Equal Pay Act passes providing equal pay for women for equal work.

1964 - Civil Rights Bill passes. Title VII bans employment discrimination against women.

1974 - International Union of Electronic, Salaried, Machine and Furniture Workers sues Westinghouse. The company had set up a wage rate structure in the 1930's;

scores for women's jobs were automatically reduced merely because they were performed by women, not an unusual attitude then.

1979 - 20 women's groups, professional organizations and unions form the National Committee on Pay Equity. Founders include unions such as IUE,

AFSCME,SEIU, UAW, NTEU, women's groups such as Business and Professional Women, NOW, Women's Legal Defense Fund, League of Women Voters,

National Commission on Working Women, NARAL, Coalition of Labor Union Women, National Association of Office Workers, National Commission on

Working Women, professional groups such as the American Library Association and the George Meany Center.