Posted by bneufeld on June 12, 2009 at 18:52 pm
The recent turmoil in Albany has put a suddent halt to our efforts to move forward the NYS Fair Pay Act, a frustration felt by so many advocates for other legislative agendas. We have been advised that, at best, the Senate will take up only critical bills. Everything else must wait until next year.
Knowing this, on Tuesday members of the EPCNYC and the statewide group, NYS Pay Equity Coalition, met with representatives of Governor Paterson and discussed S. 955 as well as two other pay equity bills which are more limited. The Governor’s counsel was extremely receptive to working with us in the future. We will be following up as soon as the drama of the Senate subsides.
The Equal Pay Coalition has much to celebrate in terms of accomplishments - we are a stronger, more diverse and more politically viable entity. We have forged essential and valuable relationships in Albany and losing out this year is totally unrelated to our political skills or even that of S955’s sponsor Craig Johnson, rather to the overall turmoil in the legislature itself. We will use the coming months to gather data, hone our arguments and create collaborations with like-minded groups to make change in NYS and NYC. Please join us in this effort!
Posted by bneufeld on May 28, 2009 at 11:48 am
The NYS Fair Pay Act (S.955) is at a critical juncture. We have helped enlist 27 Co-sponsors and demonstrated public support, but the Senate leadership has not moved it forward yet. We’ve gotten this far and need your help before time runs out!
EPCNYC and NYSPEC (NYS Pay Equity Coalition) ask you to act today:
CONTACT:
MAJORITY LEADER MALCOLM SMITH : 718-528-4290 or 518 455 2701 or masmith@senate.state.ny.us
NYS GOVERNOR DAVID PATERSON: 518- 474-8390 or governor@chamber.state.ny.us
SENATOR CARL KRUGER: 718-743-8610 or 518-455-2460 or kruger@senate.state.ny.us
Tell Senators Kruger and Smith and Governor Paterson: (Sample script) “27 Senators…professional and civic groups and coalitions across the state…and I want the NYS Fair Pay Act (S.955) to come to a vote THIS YEAR. This bill is comprehensive, enforceable, and worth pasing now.“
You may want to add: “The NYS Fair Pay Act (S.955) would help narrow the pay gap, protect workers, and reduce poverty. This is a family pocketbook issue that transcends gender, income levels and race. Just as President Obama was proud to sign the Ledbetter Act as his very first law, this is an opportunity for the new senate majority and Governor Paterson to pass a popular Act into law which has bi-partisan support in both the Assembly and Senate.”
FORWARD THIS EMAIL to everyone you know who cares about equal pay!
THANK YOU TO the 27 SPONSORS of the NY FAIR PAY ACT! C. JOHNSON (lead sponsor), ADAMS, ADDABBO, BRESLIN, DIAZ, DILAN, DUANE, ESPADA, HASSELL-THOMPSON, HUNTLEY, KLEIN, KRUEGER, KRUGER, MONTGOMERY, ONORATO, OPPENHEIMER, PADAVAN, PARKER, PERKINS, SAMPSON, SAVINO, SCHNEIDERMAN, SERRANO, STAVISKY, STEWART-COUSINS, THOMPSON, VALESKY
BACKGROUND: The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was the very first bill signed into law by President Obama. Does this mean that we can stop working for passage of the NYS Fair Pay Act? NO! The Ledbetter Act restores protections for people whose jobs involve the same work. NY State Fair Pay Act (A3911, S955) is aimed at job- title pay equity that removes discrimination in the pay of job titles in fields such as library, food service, clerical and office management where women and people of color are the majority of the workforce. Job titles traditionally done by women and people of color have been undervalued in the marketplace. Unfortunately, the Ledbetter Act does not address pay inequities across different but equally-valued job titles. MORE on Background page
