Robach: Flipflopping on Pay Equity

On average women earn only 73% of what men are paid for comparable jobs.  The New York State Fair Pay Act (S.2936) would end this discrimination by simply requiring equal pay for equal work.  Not only is this important for the paychecks women receive now, but also for calculation of Social Security and pension benefits.  The NY State Assembly has passed this bill every year since 2002, but it has been blocked in the Senate.

On Wednesday, women's rights heavyweight Gloria Steinem  came to the Well of the Legislative Office Building in Albany to speak to union leaders, politicians and supporters about the importance of passing the Fair Pay Act.   State Senator Joe Robach, R-Greece, also addressed the crowd, saying he supported the legislation.  Then, Robach, who is the new chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, started backsliding, telling a reporter that he wouldn't actively commit to supporting the bill.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Joseph Bruno had no comment about the reason the bill has been stalled in the Senate for so long.

According to the New York State Pay Equity Coalition, types of work traditionally done by women and minorities pay less than comparable jobs requiring the same level of skills but that are usually held by men.  The Fair Pay bill would fix that.

Senator Craig Johnson, D-Port Washington, who sponsored the Senate version of the bill had this to say about the situation:  "This is outrageous.  It is tragic that we claim to be in a progressive state, yet we have not remedied this tremendous wrong."