Pay Equity Day Protest Held At Rutgers-Camden Campus
By Paul Kurtz
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Working women throughout America are lamenting the arrival of another National Pay Equity Day.
April 12th shows how far into the year women have to work to earn what men made the previous year. A protest against unequal wages was held Tuesday at the University of Rutgers-Camden.
"It is an outrage," said New Jersey Congressman Donald Norcross referring to the fact that women today earn 79 cents for every buck men make.
Norcross is co-sponsor of the PayCheck Fairness Act which updates the 1963's Equal Pay Act. The measure has languished in the Senate for years.
Members of the Rutgers Camden Women's Soccer team joined Norcross and other politicians in support of the World Cup Champion US Women's Soccer teams complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
"The women's team generated almost $20 million more in revenue than the US Men's team yet they're not fairly compensated. The top five players on the men's team make an average of $406,000 each year. And the women are guaranteed only $72,000," said one of the team members.
The Protesters are also calling on Governor Christie to pick up his pen and sign the NJ Pay Equity Bill.