Sunday January 23 7:46 PM ET

Clinton to Unveil 'Equal Pay' Initiative

By Andrea Shalal-Esa

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Clinton, flanked by U.S. women's soccer star Michelle Akers, will unveil a $27 million proposal on Monday to help more women get paid equal wages for doing the same work as men, officials said.

The proposal will focus on beefing up enforcement of a 1963 federal law passed to guarantee women equal pay, as well as educating employers about their responsibilities and women about their rights in the workplace.

Akers played a key role in guiding the U.S. women's soccer team to the World Cup title in 1999, but she and her teammates are now fighting their own battle to get a raise from the U.S. Soccer Federation.

``Since the Equal Pay Act was passed in the early 1960s, we've made marginal progress, but we're stuck where women are earning about 75 cents on the dollar that a man gets for the same work,'' said Tom Freedman, a senior adviser to Clinton.

Freedman said the United States needed a ``major push'' to revitalize a decades-old effort to ensure women equal pay.

``This is trying to make that principle a reality, and it is long overdue,'' Freedman said.

In his 2001 budget, Clinton will propose boosting funding for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by $10 million, to help the agency better deal with pay equity cases; improve training for employers and fund a series of public service announcements, said one White House official.

His budget proposal would also earmark $17 million in additional funding for the Labor Department, to help get more women involved in non-traditional careers, such as in the high tech industry, and non-traditional apprenticeships.

The president would also encourage Congress to reconsider last year's unsuccessful Paycheck Fairness Act, sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, a South Dakota Democrat, and Representative Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat.

Freedman said pay equity was a vital issue for women.

``It's an issue that hits women in the pocketbook because they don't pay 75 cents on the dollar for rent, transportation or food. It's an issue that affects families since many working women are supporting children and families,'' he said.

Akers will join Clinton at the podium to talk about the issue generally, although she is bound by a court gag order not to discuss the specifics of her team's battle to get a raise, the White House official said.

``She's not going to talk about their dispute, but she will say that it's a stark example of the problems that many women face in the workplace,'' the official added.

Akers and the 19 other members of the U.S. Women's World Cup team were each paid $3,150 per month during their 1999 championship season.

Upon the expiration of their contract, the team asked for a raise to $5,000 per month and $2,000 per game. Their request was denied, but the two sides have scheduling a negotiating session on Monday in Los Angeles.

Akers will also introduce Sharon Long, a Baltimore woman who recently won an EEOC settlement forcing her company to compensate her for years of earning half the salary of male purchasing agents in the same office.

Freedman said the proposed increase in funding would help the agency handle more cases like Long's.

A Gallup poll conducted for the Sara Lee Corp. and released in October showed three out of four women and four out of seven men still believed laws were need to guarantee equal pay for women.

More than half of those surveyed thought their wages were equal to that of their co-workers of the opposite sex holding the same job, particularly the men in the group.

The latest U.S. Census statistics show that women make an average 76 cents for every dollar men make, and a recent corporate study found that fewer than three percent of the highest-paid officers at Fortune 500 companies are women.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 23, 2000

Answers

Another dastardly act by the evil Clinton. Does the man have no shame?

Well, George W. and the morally superior will fix it. After all, who understands better the difference between right and wrong?

-- Infidel (Barbarians@thegate.net), January 23, 2000.

1963 Federal Law, eh? I remember 1965, working in a plant My regular assembly line went down. I was put on a job, normally done by a man. (Don't know why, it involved no lifting, just dexterity and quick human motion. Anyway, after I had been on the job for a week, I approached the Foreman, and asked for the same (increased) wages as the male before me. Was told "No" in no uncertain terms. When I asked why, was told that men were paid more because of their family obligations. I was a single parent of one child. They did not approve of my status. Soccer must be a nice job. The "Soccers' don't have the memory of nostrils full of beef and swine entrails, on a hot day.

-- Soccer ain't (are@ljob.com), January 23, 2000.

Do NOT TRUST Klinton on any domestic issue - He is a draft dodger - As such, he will never be the president.

;-),

-- Uhhmmm... (JFCP81A@aol.com), January 23, 2000.

Not much response when the evil Clinton does something right. Must be besides the point!

-- Infidel (Barbarians@thegate.net), January 23, 2000.

"to help more women get paid equal wages for doing the same work as men"

WHAT THE HELL???

Is he nuts? He thinks women are equal to men? This has to be a trick! Maybe he's going to secretly pay all the women to steal the guns away from their husbands, then he can send his Nazi army out to lock all the men up in concentration camps!!! Yep, that's got to be it! Be SCARED, be VERY SCARED!! :-(

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 23, 2000.

God knows Clit-in did a wonderful job promoting sexual harassment in the workplace. He showed the country just how far an employer would go for a female employee willing to please. He proved to the world how he feels about women's 'rights' in the way he conducted himself under oath. This is nothing more than a cup of grain for the sheeple.

Anyone who would plump this traitor's pillows, probably needs to wipe their chin, and then light up a stogie.

BAAAA....BAAAA

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), January 23, 2000.

Hawk and Infidel,

LOLOLOLOLOL!

Thanks,

-- Uhhmmm... (JFCP81A@aol.com), January 23, 2000.

WC,

George Bush Jr. is a proven crack smoking liar. He learned this attitude at his father's knee. He will pander to the worst in the Reblican party - the bigots, the abortion doctor killers, the racial haters. He will win the rich-party's nomination, but the great American poeple will not elect such a crippled truth dodger. The Bush loser will never get a chance to mangle (mengler?) the rights of women, no matter how much you try to smear the character of God's chosen opponents to the Bush/Banshi.

Gosh,

-- Uhhmmm... (JFCP81A@aol.com), January 23, 2000.

Boy, you guys really know how to do a party proud. Wipe that string of protein off your chin, would ya?

ROTFLMAO

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), January 23, 2000.

WC,

Sometimes I find it difficult to believe that you are a woman. I'll bet you got that round mouth from eating bananas, didn't you?

Another Sophomoric Gotcha,

-- Uhhmmm... (JFCP81A@aol.com), January 23, 2000.

You MUST be a woman 'cause that was one sissy cum-back.....bay-beee.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), January 23, 2000.

Soccer, working on the kill floor, eh?

-- Billy Vyper (billy_vyper@postmark.net), January 23, 2000.

WC,

The Bush bait is getting so much money from the corrupt of this country it is a sad indictment of our two party system. McCain fights a tough battle against the money lenders at the temple. He will eventually lose, but most Americans see the fight as the one of right. No amount of slander on your part or those of your ilk can change the outcome.

Tit for Tat,

-- Uhhmmm... (JFCP81A@aol.com), January 23, 2000.

Uhhmmmm, LOL!!

I bet "Will" has no problem getting equal pay. He/She just threatens to beat the piss out of her supervisor until he gives her higher pay than the rest of the guys! I have a feeling having been raised as a tomboy, she gets very frustrated when she sees normal women getting "a piece of the action"! Hint: it might help if you try a slightly more gentle approach there "Will." :-)

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 23, 2000.

My 'ilk'? What IS my 'ilk'? Slander? Slander as in, "the utterance of *false* charges"? Who are you trying to kid, other than yourself? This entire thread has been one big laughable JOKE. I simply decided to join in on the bleating. What makes you think I support Bush? What makes you think.......anything?

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), January 23, 2000.

Hawk = fence post. pity.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), January 23, 2000.

WC,

Slander? Just a reference to your stupid remark regarding me.

I will try to walk you through this, slowly. Hawk's point (IMHO) was that the Klingon-haters seem to pounce on anything the man does. Hawk was trying to post something so positive that no-one with a brain bigger than a pea could jump in with more negative diatribe.

Leave it to you...

Upon which time I start trashing the hero of the banker-boys - George Bait (er, bush). You then get personal with a slur on your fellow posters, I decide to nyanyanya and make a career out of bashing bush, Hawk makes rather intuitive fun of you, and then you (after the disgusting character slurs againt the rest of us) get your feeling hurt.

What a twisted, sad little twerp you are. Though the thread was supposed to be a private joke (again MHO), you turned out to be the biggest joke of all!

Sincerely,

-- Uhhmmm... (JFCP81A@aol.com), January 24, 2000.

Let's see here. You beleive that $27 million bucks of tax payer's money, tossed at a couple of gov agencies, will put an end to unequal pay for women. The same women who payed those taxes and were humiliated and infuriated by the behavior of the womanizing and shallow jerk who is now patting himself on the back for how much he cares about them could not *possibly* find anything wrong with this gesture on his part.

Those participating on this thread prior to my arrival were doing a fine job of displaying pea brains. You've also done an admirable job of displaying your views of women as well.

The joke was on you before I arrived. My feelings can only be hurt by those I respect. No problem.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), January 24, 2000.

It's true Will, after I saw you put in your filthy two cents worth on the thread about keeping young children out of combat, I couldn't resist. I was anxious to see how people like you would react to this, and if they would get in hot water with some of the women on this forum. I'm sure that's why the men on your team of right-wing extremists didn't jump in on this one, they were afraid of how the women would respond to their usual criticisms. I was pretty sure you wouldn't be able to resist though, proving once again that your responses are totally reactionary, with very little thought. Better luck next time. :-)

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 24, 2000.

I guess that makes you a troll Hawk. I have made several valid points concerning the article you posted. Don't hurt yourself attempting to address any of them however.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), January 24, 2000.

You've all got this all wrong...women should be making MORE pay than Men, without having to work AT ALL. We have enough to do around the house, what with you men leaving your socks on the floor and wanting meals to be cooked. Then there's the free services which command a pretty penny on the streets. Face it fellas...YOU OWE US! And I want back pay too. Years of it. And a new car..I want one of those too. And some time off...;-) (sounds about right to me) -kirsten

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), January 24, 2000.

I agree with Will Continue. Klinton is a jerk and women don't deserve the same pay as men. Hopefully, this idea will get shot down or it can hit enough beauracratic red tape so that it stalls until a better president is elected. Then the new prez can deal this idea the death blow it deserves. . ...

-- (marc@reftor.net), January 24, 2000.

"Klinton is a jerk and women don't deserve the same pay as men."

Whew! You're really cruisin for a bruisin there pal! They don't deserve the same pay for equal work? Wow. Which cave did you crawl out of?

"Then the new prez can deal this idea the death blow it deserves. . ."

No way. Gore is definitely not a chauvinist pig, so don't even start spreading those kinds of lies already.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 24, 2000.

Yes, well...this administration has already paved the way for our society to accept 'blowing' by working women. This article reminds me of a fox announcing to hens, "I care deeply about you" and the women's movement says, "cluck, cluck".

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), January 24, 2000.

Is Michelle Akers the one who took off her shirt after winning a soccer game. I heard about someone doing that...does that mean we can be "just like men" whenever, whereever???

I'm all for giving the same money for the exact same work, but keep it private, not have gov. enforce it - if you don't like the money and the boss will not pay, move on to something better - I don't believe in minimum wage either, if there is nobody to work, to play that game, the boss will soon have to raise the ante to be able to hire someone. (in theory at least)

-- Laurane (familyties@rttinc.com), January 24, 2000.

Laurane -

That was Brandi Chastain, the team's "free spirit" and the hero of the Finals when she scored the winning goal in the tie-breaker. Nike is still working on leveraging the marketing action from the famous photo of Ms. Chastain in her Nike sports bra. For the record: not exactly exhibitionism. Sporst bras look just like women's running to me, and frankly I've seen women at local beaches wearing much, much less. Guys have been doffing their tops as part of major soccer celebrations for decades. Not an issue.

Michelle Akers was the oldest member of the champounship squad and is the eminence gris of US women's soccer. She's been a role model and mentor for many of the women who are now playing and is an all-around class act. She had to leave the Finals match due to heat exhaustion and a concussion, but was still the team's inspiration.

On the topic:

"Equal pay for equal work" seems to me to be a very different discussion from one on behavioral and social norms. I have some concerns about the way that data is being collected and calculated and with the way the statistics are being reported and I do not think that fundamental differences in male and female priorities have been weighed at all in this reporting.

The principle itself is excellent, but enforcement will be a real bear. What is "equal work"? Is all "C" programming, for example, of equal weight? In another industry: do all restaurants have to force "evening meal servers" have to pool their tips to ensure that the better (or perhaps just better-looking) servers have equal pay? If not, why not? How does one actually define "work" and then calculate "equity"?

Bureaucrats will have a field day with this one.

-- DeeEmBee (macbeth1@pacbell.net), January 24, 2000.

Billy, what a hole lot of messer-schmit on those above my head. Yoy hit the nail on the head. The "Kill, and dis-embowel tha varmit". stalked my daily life. But you know what Billy? I had more fun, on that job, than any, I have held, 30 years hence. Jack out the hamer to the head. And swine shall fall out, and be meat, upon your plate, where is CIN, just this minute?

-- People In Coal Mines (also@meatpackingplants.com), January 25, 2000.