Contact: Christine Sinicki, (608) 266-8588
MADISON –Rep. Christine Sinicki issued the following statement about her resolution on Equal Pay Day, which was on April 4th and is the point every new year when a woman has finally earned the same yearly salary as her male counterpart did the previous year.
“Wisconsinites believe in the basic promise of a fair shot for all our neighbors. When women are paid less for doing the same jobs as men, it undermines our deeply held belief in fairness and opportunity. That’s why it’s unacceptable that the most recent data shows women in Wisconsin make just 78 cents for every dollar earned by a man.
“I would like to think that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle share this belief. That’s why I was so disappointed when my Assembly Republican colleagues even refused to hear my resolution recognizing Equal Pay Day and honoring the contributions of Wisconsin women in the workplace.
“When women bring home less money each day, it means their families have less to save for the future or to meet basic needs – child care, groceries, rent, or doctor’s visits. As a result, our communities suffer, and hard-working Wisconsinites see their opportunities diminished.
“Republicans in the Legislature need to start taking this problem seriously. That’s why I am introducing legislation that addresses some of the root causes of the wage gap by promoting salary transparency and strengthening enforcement of our equal pay laws.
“Although Legislative Republicans refuse to even recognize the pay gap, on
Equal Pay Day, Democrats renew our belief in fairness and equal opportunity for all and commit to achieving equal pay in Wisconsin.”
