Labor Day, an American tradition since 1894, celebrates the worker by giving all of us a day of rest.  Not all workers are treated equally under the law however.  Pay discrimination is still a persistent problem in the United States.  The statistics nationally are that women make on average 77 cents for every dollar a man makes.  Not just women, but everyone in a woman worker's household, suffers from these lost wages.  Let's celebrate Labor Day by dedicating ourselves to fair pay for all workers.

The Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182) would "provide workers with the tools they need to help close the wage gap, including requiring employers to demonstrate that wage differences between men and women doing the same work have a business justification; prohibiting retaliation against workers who inquire about their wages; leveling the playing field by ensuring that women can obtain the same remedies as those subject to discrimination based on race or national origin; and reinstating the collection of important wage-related data."

I met with the offices of Senators Collins and Snowe last month to discuss this important legislation, which is poised for a vote in the Senate this fall.  Both Senators have historically stood up for women and women's issues.  We are grateful for their leadership on legislation like the Lilly Ledbetter Act.  Now it's time for leadership in paycheck fairness by co-sponsoring the Paycheck Fairness Act.  Join me this Labor Day in contacting Maine's Senators to express our support for ending discrimination now.