LANSING — Yesterday was Moms’ Equal Pay Day, which is the symbolic day that working mothers have to work to in the following year to earn what working fathers earned the previous one. In recognition of this marker state Rep. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor), vice chair of the Progressive Women’s Caucus and an advocate for equal pay, issued the following statement:
“On average moms have to work 515 days to earn what dads make in 365. That is unacceptable. We, as legislators, have to do better. For single parent households or those where the mother is the primary breadwinner, thousands end up being robbed of the additional dollars they deserve to help support their families and pay their bills. Session after session, pay equity legislation has been introduced to combat this problem, but leadership in Lansing has refused to take it up.
“We have an extraordinary opportunity to do right by the millions of mothers in our state, so they don’t have to work halfway into the next year to earn the same as fathers. By depriving mothers of their hard earned money our families, our communities, and ultimately our state suffers. It’s time to take up our legislation to address equal pay issues now. Pay equity means stronger people, and strengthening Michigan households should be a top priority for leadership in Lansing.”