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Congress sends fair pay bill to Obama
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 4:27 PM EST
The Associated Press
By JIM ABRAMS Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress sent the White House Tuesday what is expected to be the first legislation that President Barack Obama signs into law, a bill that makes it easier for women and others to sue for pay discrimination, even if the discrimination has prevailed for years, even decades.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama would sign the bill, a top priority for labor and women's rights groups, Thursday during a public ceremony in the East Room.

The bill is a response to a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that said a person must file a claim of discrimination within 180 days of a company's initial decision to pay a worker less than it pays another worker doing the same job. Under the bill, every new discriminatory paycheck would extend the statute of limitations for another 180 days.

The measure, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after receiving a congratulatory phone call from Obama, is "a bold step to move away from that parsimonious interpretation" of the Supreme Court.

The plaintiff in the case, Lilly Ledbetter, argued that she did not become aware of the pay discrepancy until near the end of her 19-year career at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Gadsden, Ala.

The Bush White House and Senate Republicans blocked the legislation in the last session of Congress, but Obama strongly supports it and the Democratic-controlled Congress moved it to the top of the agenda for the new session that opened this month.

The House on Tuesday passed it on a 250-177 vote.

"What a difference a new Congress and a president make," said Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., sponsor of the bill and chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.

Obama invited Ledbetter, for whom the bill is named, to accompany him on his train trip to the inauguration ceremony in Washington. After the Senate vote last week, the 70-year-old retiree said Obama "has assured me that he would see me in the White House when they sign the bill."

"By swiftly passing this legislation, Congress sets a new tone for employment rights," said ACLU legislative counsel Deborah J. Vagins. "The Ledbetter legislation restores a clear, bright-line rule for determining the timeliness of claims."

Having succeeded with the Ledbetter bill, labor rights advocates can turn to tougher issues, including a controversial measure, expected to come up later this year, that would take away a company's right to demand a secret ballot when workers are deciding whether to join a union.

The Ledbetter bill focuses on pay and other workplace discrimination against women: The Census Bureau last year estimated that women still only receive about 78 cents for every dollar that men get for doing equivalent jobs. But the measure, which amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964, also applies to discrimination based on factors such as race, religion, national origin, disability or age.

Supporters argued that the 5-4 Supreme Court decision throwing out Ledbetter's claim was unrealistic for most work environments in which employees are unaware of, or even barred from talking about, the salaries of their co-workers.

They said it rewards companies that manage to keep wage discrimination secret for more than six months.

Opponents contended that the legislation would gut the statute of limitations, encourage lawsuits and be a boon to trial lawyers. They also argued that employees could wait to file claims in hopes of reaping larger damage awards.

"Enriching trial lawyers is simply the wrong way to ensure a fairer, more just workplace," said Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon of California, top Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee.

But backers pointed out that the bill does not change current law limiting back pay for claimants to two years, so there would be no incentive to wait to file a claim.

The House first passed the bill on Jan. 9, just days after convening the new session of Congress. The Senate approved it last week by 61-36, with all 16 female senators, including four Republicans, voting for it.

The House had to vote again because it originally coupled the bill with another labor measure making it easier to receive damage awards for discrimination. The Senate separated the two, putting off the second bill, which faced more opposition, for later in the year.

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The bill is S.181.

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On the Net:

Congress: thomas.loc.gov

Cambridge University appoints first female librarian.

This was posted by Jenifer Grady, ALA-APA

[Great news! The US Senate passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (S.181) on Thursday, January 22! It will be reconciled with the version passed by the US House and perhaps be the first law signed by President Obama. However, the Paycheck Fairness Act (S.182-http://www.pay-equity.org/PDFs/PaycheckFairnessFactSheetJuly2008.pdf) has not been passed, though it is on the Senate calendar. Please contact your Senators and encourage them to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act also.]

President-Elect Obama is ready to sign both the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law during his first few days in office. But before that can happen, the Senate needs to pass pay equity legislation, too.

Please contact your Senators now and tell them that women can't wait! Our economy is crumbling, and we need fair pay legislation now more than ever.

You can contact your Senator, or call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. When you're connected to their offices, tell the person who answers the phone:

I am a constituent. My name is ____________.
I urge you to vote in favor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, to invoke cloture on the bill, and to oppose any weakening amendments.
Thank you for supporting fair pay for women and for your support of the newly passed Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

Michele Leber, Chair
National Committee on Pay Equity

North Carolina State's Kay Yow, the Hall of Fame women's basketball coach who won more than 700 games while earning fans with her decades-long fight against breast cancer, died on Saturday. She was 66.

Yow, first diagnosed with the disease in 1987, died Saturday morning at WakeMed Cary Hospital after being admitted there last week, university spokeswoman Annabelle Myers said.

Yow won more than 700 games in a career filled with milestones. She coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in 1988, won four Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championships, earned 20 NCAA tournament bids and reached the Final Four in 1998.

She also was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2002, while the school dedicated "Kay Yow Court" in Reynolds Coliseum in 2007.

But for many fans, Yow was best defined by her unwavering resolve while fighting cancer, from raising awareness and money for research to staying with her team through the debilitating effects of the disease and chemotherapy treatments. In her final months, Yow was on hormonal therapy as the cancer spread to her liver and bone.

Every ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference the Feminist Task Force tries to put together a schedule of meetings that may be of interests to FTF members and our colleagues.

A copy of the ALA Midwinter 2009 schedule may be found at
http://ftfinfo.wikispaces.com/Conference+Schedules .

There may be some corrections before the beginning of Midwinter. Please check the schedule now and see if it includes everything. Please send corrections to me and I will update the list.

Thanks.

--
Diedre Conkling

Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027, Newport, OR 97365
Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066
Work: diedre@beachbooks.org
Home: diedrec@charter.net

Below you will find a message that was sent to the Feminist Task Force list with some suggestions on places to meet for Feminists Night Out. Check out the list and then participate in the Doodle survey.

Feminists Night out is an opportunity to get together and connect with old friends, make new friends, find out what is happening at ALA Midwinter and just socialize. It will be Friday, January 23, 2009. Below are the questions:

What time?

http://www.doodle.com/2dr4z7ennxkzi2xp

Where?

http://www.doodle.com/zpq9794x28a64zbw


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As well at the GLBTRT blog (http://blogs.ala.org/glbtrt.php?title=out_in_denver&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 ) these are the other suggestions I have received. I am leaning toward trying tHERe Coffee Bar & Lounge, http://theredenver.com/ or Common Grounds (http://www.commongroundscoffeehouse.com/). What do the rest of you think?


1. From: Catherine

You might also try yelp.com

Catherine Lemann

2. From: Connie

You can look into www.denver.citysearch.com and maybe they will list some
options for you. I hope that will help, Connie

3. From: Barbara

Try http://denvercoffee.blogspot.com/ for MileHighBuzz.com's Coffee Shop Map.

Though there's not much room to sit in the cafe areas, the Tattered Cover,
http://www.tatteredcover.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp , has
two stores near downtown: Lodo, at 16th & Wynkoop, on the 16th Street Mall
Shuttle; East Colfax, a block or two east of York; #15 bus goes east on Colfax
from Broadway.

I like Common Grounds Coffeehouse at 32nd Avenue & Lowell on the West side.
Here's their place downtown:
http://denvercoffee.blogspot.com/2005/08/common-grounds-refreshing-break-in.html

4. From: Theresa

Hi Diedre,


Here are a couple suggestions:

Common Grounds coffee shops
There are two locations, both women owned.
One is downtown (LoDo) and one is in the Highlands, which is about 10 minutes
from downtown.
http://www.commongroundscoffeehouse.com/


tHERe Coffee Bar & Lounge, http://theredenver.com/
A small lesbian coffee shop/bar. Definitely a younger, funkier atmosphere than
Common Grounds. On Colfax, a couple miles from downtown. They have a loft
space and a basement room that could be set aside for FTF. They have some
snacks and there is a "pizza by the slice" place next door.

5. From: Thomas

Catherine & Diedre - I don't get out much but one of my co-works recommends the
following:

Just outside of the Down Town area, but worth looking into
- Water Course Foods, http://www.watercoursefoods.com/
- tHERe Café
- Hamburger Mary's, http://www.hamburgermarys.net/

In the Down Town area (easy walking distance from convention center)
- Harry's at the Magnolia,
http://www.magnoliahoteldenver.com/magnolia-denver-our-hotel.aspx?menupos=1
- Peaks Lounge in the Hyatt across from the convention center
- The Corner Office, http://www.thecornerofficedenver.com/

Hope this helps a little.


--
Diedre Conkling

Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027, Newport, OR 97365
Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066
http://lcld.blog-city.com/
Work: diedre@beachbooks.org
Home: diedrec@charter.net

[Go here for an easy place to voice your views to your U.S. Senators. Or you can use ALA's site to help you find contact information for your Senators.]

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[From the National Women's Law Center]

Urge Your Senators to Support Fair Pay for Women

We have exciting news! The House has passed both the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act — crucial bills that provide women with critical tools to challenge pay discrimination. The Senate is expected to vote early next week on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act and we need your help to pass these two key bills and prevent any weakening amendments.

Please contact your Senators today with a clear message: It’s time to sign, seal and deliver pay equity for all women by passing pay equity legislation immediately, so President-Elect Obama can sign it into law during his first few days in office.

You can fill out this form to send an e-mail to your Senators.

Or, you can call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. When you're connected to their offices, tell the person who answers the phone:

I am a constituent. My name is ____________.
I urge you to vote in favor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act, to invoke cloture on both bills, and to oppose any weakening amendments.
Thank you for supporting fair pay for women.

[I am sending you two updates on the equal pay legislation.]

House Passes Key Pay Equity Bills

The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) today applauded the House of Representatives for demonstrating its commitment to equal pay for equal work by successfully passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act. A statement by Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President of NWLC, follows:

“The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act are key pieces in the fight for pay equity, seeking to reverse the Supreme Court’s devastating ruling in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., and give women critically important tools to fight the workplace discrimination that causes the persistent wage gap—a necessary component to stimulating the economy.

“Women are vital players in ensuring the economic security of America’s families. By passing these bills, the House has sent a powerful message that our country will not tolerate discrimination that costs women and their families sorely-needed income, especially in these tough economic times.

“Current law is full of loopholes and catch-22s that make it almost impossible to remedy pay discrimination. Now that the House has taken this critically-important step, we urge the Senate to take up the cause of working women and their families, and to pass this legislation immediately.

“Certainly both men and women have suffered because of the economic downturn, but women are particularly vulnerable. Women working full-time, year-round are paid, on average, just 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. They are also far more likely to live in poverty than men, when heading households have a higher unemployment rate than men, and on top of serious job losses face soaring prices for food, child care, and health care.

“The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act address the realities of the workplace by providing stronger protections and remedies for those subject to discrimination and restoring the ability of victims to challenge the practice in court. Both bills are strongly supported by President-elect Obama.

“The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act would overturn the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. and reinstate the long-standing principle that each paycheck that is discriminatorily reduced is an act of discrimination that resets the 180-day clock for filing challenges. The bill would establish incentives for employers to voluntarily correct discriminatory pay decisions and ensure that women can seek relief for continuing pay discrimination. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is the only acceptable fix to the Supreme Court decision that will restore prior law and enable those subject to pay discrimination to vindicate their rights. While the bill passed in the House in the 110th Congress, a determined minority blocked debate on it in the Senate.

“The Paycheck Fairness Act would close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act, prohibit retaliation against workers who disclose their wages, and allow women to receive the same remedies for sex-based pay discrimination that have long been available to those subject to discrimination based on race and national origin. The Paycheck Fairness Act builds on the restorative approach of the Ledbetter bill to improve incentives for employers to comply with the law and to strengthen federal outreach, education and enforcement efforts.

“We thank Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Representatives George Miller and Rosa DeLauro for their tireless work on behalf of women and their families. Their efforts are invaluable for women across the country.”

Tell Congress: Support equal pay for women.
(From CREDO - http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/support_ledbetter/?rc=homepage )

Last year, the Senate failed to get the 60 votes necessary to force an up-or-down vote on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which would mandate that women receive equal pay for equal work. Now, with a new session of Congress in place, the House is ready to take up the fight again.

With President-elect Obama soon to take office, we now have a real chance to pass this legislation that could do so much for so many American women. There will be a battle in the Senate, and the best way to come out of the gate strong is for the bill to pass by an overwhelming majority in the House.

Lilly Ledbetter worked 19 years at Goodyear before she learned the men at her level were earning far more. Eventually she sued, and the case went all the way to the Supreme Court where five male justices ruled her claim invalid because she filed it more than 180 days after the date when the discrimination first started.

Lilly Ledbetter and women across the country are paid less for doing the exact same jobs as men. The only difference between men and women in the workplace is women bring home less money to take care of their families - and in an economy as shaky as ours, the last thing we need is to make life even more difficult for 50% of the American workforce.

Women across America are counting on Congress - let Congress know that you're watching to make sure they come through. Sign this petition to tell your member of Congress to support the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. This is a first and crucial step in this year's battle for equal pay - a battle that, for the first
time, we might actually be able to win.

Shirin Ebadi has also been defending the Baha'is in Iran, which I am sure has not endeared her to the Iranian government: http://news.bahai.org/story/650 .

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From the Feminist Majority: http://feminist.org/

Write to urge Iran's swift reversal of these actions against Shirin Ebadi and to guarantee her protection.

Please take a moment to help defend the safety and work of Iran's Nobel Laureate human rights lawyer Dr. Shirin Ebadi. Dr. Ebadi, a defender of women's rights, has had her human rights organization forcibly closed by the Iranian authorities. In the latest of a series of serious incidents, an angry mob surrounded Dr. Ebadi's home and personal office chanting death threats against her and vandalizing her building. Last week, authorities raided Dr. Ebadi's personal office and seized her writings, confidential legal files, and two computers amid claims of so-called tax evasion.

In August 2006, we and human rights organizations throughout the world asked you and other people of conscience to write the Iranian government, which at that time was threatening to arrest Ebadi and close the center. The Iranian authorities responded and the center remained open. We are asking you to help again.

Please join feminists and human rights activists worldwide to support Shirin Ebadi and her important work as a leading human and women's rights defender!

I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Ebadi in 2006 when the Feminist Majority Foundation presented her with the Eleanor Roosevelt Global Women's Rights Award. Her bravery, leadership, and determination is unforgettable. Time and time again she has risked her life for women and children. We cannot let her down.

Dr. Ebadi's human rights advocacy is so important it should not and must not be silenced. Write to urge Iran's swift reversal of these actions against Shirin Ebadi and permit the reopening of her human rights organization.

For Equality,

Eleanor Smeal
President

P.S. Act Now to support Dr. Ebadi! She must not be silenced and time may be running out.

Mr Mandela wrote of her in his biography: "It was an odd and wonderful sight to see this courageous woman peering into our cells and strolling around our courtyard. She was the first and only woman ever to grace our cells."

Helen Suzman, a celebrated South African MP and anti-apartheid campaigner, has died at the age of 91.
Ms. Suzman, a member of parliament first for the United Party and later the liberal Progressive Party, was an outspoken critic of apartheid.For thirty-six years, from 1953 until 1989, as a member of the South African Parliament, Helen Suzman was the conscience of her nation. Never faltering, and often fighting alone, she stood strong and brave against the horrific evils of apartheid, enduring hostility, intimidation, and anti-Semitism.