This morning, I posted a direct letter to Governor Romney asking him to show
some leadership on an issue that matters to millions of women and their
families: equal pay for equal work.
So far, he has refused to say where he stands on legislation that would
finally help make pay equity a reality.
When his advisers were first asked whether he supports the Lilly Ledbetter
Fair Pay Act -- silence.
When the Washington Times asked his campaign five times last week whether
silence.
That's not leadership.
And with women making 77 cents for every dollar paid to men, this is
clearly a law our nation needs.
If you agree, please add your name to mine right now -- cosign the letter
and ask Governor Romney to show some leadership.
I went nearly 20 years being paid less than male coworkers while doing the
exact same job -- until someone slipped an anonymous note in my locker to
try to make things right. When President Obama heard my story, he fought for
my right to be treated fairly, and the first bill he signed into law as
president was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. That law ensures that his
daughters, and millions of young women coming up through the workforce, will
be able to fight back if they are disrespected like I was.
And it's not just women who suffer -- countless families are also hurt when
women are forced to do more with less.
The Senate voted earlier today on the Paycheck Fairness Act. It would have
made it easier for women to learn if they're being discriminated against,
and would have protected workers from being fired for sharing information
about their pay. Mitt Romney stood silent while his party defeated this
important bill. On an issue as crucial as this, we deserve to know where
Governor Romney stands.
Cosign my letter -- it's included below -- and call on Governor Romney to
stand up to the extreme voices in his party:
[url]
Thank you,
Lilly
Governor Romney,
It's time to speak up.
I'm writing to ask you to stand up to your fellow Republicans, show you're
worthy of the leadership you're asking the American people to entrust you
with, and let us know where you stand on legislation that will help finally
make pay equity a reality.
I'm writing you directly because so far, your leadership has been so lacking
that it appears those closest to you don't know where you stand, either.
In April, your advisers were asked whether you support the law that bears my
name and empowers women to fight back when we're cheated out of equal pay.
They responded with silence.
In May, the Washington Times asked your campaign five times whether you
support the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that goes further to ensure equal
pay for equal work. Again, silence.
Now, in June, as Washington Republicans continue to oppose this commonsense
law, you continue to hide.
Your campaign will say only that you support the concept of pay equity, but
that you wouldn't change any laws to actually enforce it. That's like saying
you're for staying dry but wouldn't use an umbrella in a rainstorm. Women
are getting soaked, Gov. Romney, and staying silent when a solution is at
hand isn't leadership -- it's an insult and a cop-out.
If the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was a step in the right direction, the
Paycheck Fairness Act is a giant leap forward. The first gave us recourse to
sue no matter when we learn that we've been paid unfairly -- a right we
often didn't have until President Obama made it the first bill he signed.
The second will make it easier for women to learn if they're being
discriminated against in the first place. It gives businesses incentives to
do what's right and protects workers from being fired for sharing
information about their pay. It closes loopholes and makes discrimination
harder to hide, which makes it harder to commit.
You talk often about your unique understanding of the economy. I'm troubled,
though, that you don't seem to understand the consequences of pay
inequality. It's not just about a paycheck and it's not just a women's issue
-- it's a family issue. Women make just 77 cents for every dollar a man
earns, which adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost earnings
over years of hard work. More women are becoming breadwinners in their
families, and unjustly lower wages mean we have less to spend in our
communities to support the economy. The overtime pay, Social Security, and
pensions we earn are based on our wages, so unfair pay today hurts us now
and weakens our retirement security later. I learned that lesson the hard
way.
It's 2012. Women are not worth less than men, and no one should get paid
less for doing the same job just because she is a woman.
Will you stand up for women, stand up to your fellow Republicans and stand
on the right side of history? Will you finally say aloud that you support
efforts to stop pay discrimination before it starts? We're listening.
Respectfully,
Lilly Ledbetter
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