Did you ever wonder why babies are always trying to grab phones? It’s because phones have super powers. Or at least they do when you use them to call your U.S. Senators and urge them to vote YES on the Paycheck Fairness Act and to co-sponsor it too.

That's right. We've heard again and again from elected leaders that your phone calls make a big impact.  So, let’s jam the phone lines today to ensure a YES vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act in the next few days!   

Can you take 2 minutes of your time TODAY to call your U.S. Senators in support of the Paycheck Fairness Act?   888-523-8974

Dialing 888-523-8974

*It's easy!  Just dial the number and you'll be guided through every step.

Here is a sample script you can use when you call: “I am calling today to urge my Senator to vote YES for the Paycheck Fairness Act and to co-sponsor the bill too."   

The calls are powerful – and, added bonus, they’re super easy too! This is what you have to do: 

1. Dial 888-523-8974. You will either be connected directly to one of your Senator's offices or to the Capitol Switch Board.
2. If connected to the Capitol Switch board simply tell the operator what state you are from and ask to be connected to one of your Senators.
3. Once connected to your Senator's office, tell the person who answers that you're from their state and say: "I'm calling to tell my Senator to vote YES on the Paycheck Fairness Act and co-sponsor the bill too." 

Why make calls now?  We expect a vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act in the coming weeks and we need to make sure our Senators hear from us now. For the next 48 hours, we want to jam their phones to send a clear message of support for the Paycheck Fairness Act.

The vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act couldn’t come at a better time, since lately it seems that some elected officials are experiencing a bit of a backwards time warp when it comes to equal pay.  For example, just last month, when Wisconsin repealed its state equal pay law, the bill's sponsor, State Senator Glen Grothman justified the repeal by saying:  

“You could argue that money is more important for men. I think a guy in their first job, maybe because they expect to be a breadwinner someday, may be a little more money-conscious." [1] 

What!?!  That jaw-droppingly wrong justification left us stunned. His statement couldn't be more inaccurate.  Not only is there a very real bias against women and mothers when it comes to getting equal pay for equal work, that lost money is more critical than ever since more and more women are now the primary or co-breadwinners of their families. [2,3]

We need to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.  Even though the Equal Pay Act was passed in 1963 – almost 50 years ago – the fact is that in 2012 women – and moms in particular - are still paid less than men are paid for doing the same job. The U.S. Census found that women who worked full-time, year-round on average still made 23 cents less for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. [4] And, the wage gap for women of color was even more staggering than for women overall: When Black and Hispanic women work full-time, year-round, they only make 62 and 53 cents, respectively, for every dollar their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts earn. [5]

Moms experience some of the most extreme wage hits.  For example, a recent study found that with identical resumes and job experiences, mothers were offered $11,000 lower starting salaries than non-mothers (fathers, on the other hand, were offered $6,000 more in starting salaries than non-fathers). [6]  Another study found that women without children make 90 cents to a man's dollar, mothers make 73 cents to a man's dollar, and single moms make only about 60 cents to a man's dollar. [7]

Equal pay for equal work is critical to ensuring our families’ economic security. It's ridiculous that we're still having to battle for fair pay, and that some places like Wisconsin are making it even harder for women who have suffered pay discrimination to have their day in court. [8]

It's time to move forward!  

Take a few minutes to activate your phone’s super powers and call your U.S. Senators today! 888-523-8974

“I am calling today to urge my Senator to vote YES for the Paycheck Fairness Act and to co-sponsor the bill too.”

We're so close to passing this Act that calls from MomsRising members can make a big difference!  The last time the Paycheck Fairness Act came up for a vote in the Senate it failed by just two votes.  We need to make sure that our Senators know we expect them to vote YES, and also to co-sponsor the Paycheck Fairness Act. 

Here is that number again so you have it handy:  888-523-8974

What will the Paycheck Fairness Act do? The Paycheck Fairness Act will strengthen the 1963 Equal Pay Act because it will [9]:

• Deter wage discrimination by strengthening penalties for equal pay violations;
• Prohibit retaliation against workers who ask about employers' wage practices or disclose their own wages;
• Empower women to negotiate for equal pay;
• Strengthen federal outreach, education and enforcement efforts;
• Create stronger incentives for employers to follow the law.

Let’s be really clear: Paycheck fairness is not a just a “women’s issue.”  It’s a family issue and an economic issue. The majority of families these days need the wages of two parents to make ends meet, and getting equal pay for equal work would go a long way toward helping families and putting this nation onto the road of economic prosperity.  

We need to stop shortchanging mothers and families. Families need equal pay for equal work and our U.S. Senators need to support the Paycheck Fairness Act.  

Take a few minutes to activate your phone’s super powers and call your Senators today! 888-523-8974

Here is a sample script you can use when you call: “I am calling today to urge my Senator to vote YES for the Paycheck Fairness Act and to co-sponsor the bill too.” 

Please be sure to post this on your Facebook page and share with your friends so they can take action too!

Together we’re a powerful force for women and families.

P.S.  Have you experienced pay discrimination? What about your mother, grandmother or daughter? How has it impacted your family?  Do tell!  We’ll compile your experiences into one central document and share them with elected leaders so they can see what mothers and families are really facing around the nation. Personal experiences, the stories that put faces with all the data, are extremely powerful and make a big difference. Share your experience here:

http://www.momsrising.org/member_stories/topic/pay-discrimination-stories/

[1] Think Progress, “Wisconsin State Senator Says Women Are Paid Less Because ‘Money Is More Important For Men”’, Travis Waldron, Apr 9, 2012

[2] The Shriver Report 

[3] ibid

[4] AAUW: The Simple Truth About the Pay Gap, 2012

[5] NWLC: Closing the Wage Gap is Especially Important for Women of Color, April, 2012 

[6] Cornell University Chronicle Online, “Motherhood and the math factor: Sociologist Shelley Correll exposes biases that affect women in business and academia,” 2007

[7] Jane Waldfogel, “Understanding the Family Gap in Pay for Women with Children”, 1998

[8] International Business Times: Scott Walker Quietly Signs Anti-Abortion Measures, Repeals Equal Pay Act, Ahead of Easter Weekend, April 6, 2012

[9] The Paycheck Fairness Act