9to5, National Association of Working Women: Statement on press conference with Rep. Sinicki

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 24, 2011

MILWAUKEE- 9to5 Milwaukee held a press conference today with Rep. Christine Sinicki, condemning a state senators pushing a bill that removes the “enforcement” from the Equal Pay Enforcement Act. This bill would repeal the ability for anyone who’s been discriminated on the job to plead their cases in circuit court.

“Women deserve to be paid equally, and deserve justice when they aren’t treated fairly,” said Dana Schultz, 9to5’s Wisconsin State Director. “Under the guise of job creation, these legislators would make women bear even more of the burden of discrimination – all while failing to create a single job. It’s an offensive jobs sham.”

The Equal Pay Enforcement Act became law in July 2009. The purpose of the law is to provide a stronger enforcement mechanism for violations of pay and workplace discrimination by allowing victims to plead their case in the less costly state circuit system rather than having to try to get their cases heard by federal courts. It also provides stronger penalties for employers who were found guilty of discrimination.

Rep. Sinicki, the Assembly author of the original Equal Pay Enforcement Act, also spoke in opposition of SB 202.

“As far as I can tell, the authors of this bill must have lost their job-creating focus when they drafted it. I really can’t find anywhere in SB 202 where they create a single job. In fact, it looks to me like they make sure in SB 202 that it will be easier for employers to fire people at will, and jobs will be lost, instead,” said Sinicki.

Proponents of the bill argue companies are not hiring in fear of lawsuits, but no cases have gone to circuit court yet. Schultz pointed out that even though there haven’t been any cases yet, businesses could avoid being sued by simply paying women equally and that asking for fair treatment is in no way frivolous. Currently, the burden is already on women to prove that discrimination on the job happened, and Wisconsin women still earn, on average, 75% of that earned by their male colleagues. Felipa, a former Walmart employee who was fired after filing a sexual harassment suit, also spoke at the event.

Felipa, mother of a 6 year old, 9to5 member, and recently unemployed after working at Walmart for 8 and a half years says, “I have been treated unfairly in the workplace, finally had the courage to speak out, and now I’m unemployed because of it. Walmart talks about rolling back prices. Now our state legislators are rolling back my rights while big corporations can continue unfair practices.”

The State Senate may vote on the bill as early as this week. 9to5 encourages State Senators to vote no on this anti-equality bill (SB 202.)

“Is Wisconsin open for working women?” Schultz asks. “This anti-equality legislation would be a huge step backwards and a slap in the face to women workers all over the state.”

9to5 National Association of Working Women is a national membership-based organization of low-income women working to improve policies on issues that directly affect them.