The day after the City of Phoenix passed an equal pay ordinance, Rep. Ruben Gallego joined Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) in reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act.
“I’m proud to join Congresswoman DeLauro in reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act. The City of Phoenix City Council voted unanimously to pass an equal pay ordinance and address the wage gap in our city. The pay gap between women and men in Arizona is 16 cents for every dollar and it has real life implications for women working hard to ensure the American dream for their families,” said Gallego.
Gallego added, “Until the federal government takes action, cities across our country are taking matters into their own hands and doing what they can to ensure equal pay for equal work. It’s time for Congress to step up and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. ‘
Gallego called the bill a “no brainer.”
“One big reason why the gender pay gap persists is because women are often steered into fields that typically pay less — about two-thirds of low-wage workers are women. Transparency won’t change the fact that many occupations are often valued less simply because they’re considered “women’s work,” according to the Huffington Post.