WASHINGTON – AAUW is proud to announce that Lilly Ledbetter — perhaps the best-known face of pay equity — has made a commitment to attend and speak at AAUW's 2009 National Convention: Breaking through Barriers, in St. Louis, June 26–28, 2009. Ledbetter has long been a friend and supporter of AAUW's pay equity efforts, which include urging the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act. Both are up for a vote today in the House of Representatives.
"Lilly Ledbetter is a national crusader for women's rights and against wage discrimination," said AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE. "We are delighted that she will join us in St. Louis and give our convention attendees the opportunity to hear her story in person."
Ledbetter worked for nearly two decades at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in Gadsden, Alabama. Despite receiving top performance awards, Ledbetter discovered that she had been paid significantly less than male co-workers with the same job. After her November 1998 retirement, she filed suit under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and was awarded back pay and other remedies in a jury trial.
In 2007, however, the U.S. Supreme Court ignored 40 years of EEOC policy and legal precedent in a 5-4 decision that not only erased Ledbetter's award but also significantly narrowed the interpretation of pay equity laws. The justices ruled that employees can only file a wage discrimination complaint within 180 days of the original pay decision, leaving women, minorities, and others in Ledbetter's situation with virtually no recourse.
"AAUW has been very supportive of me along the way," Ledbetter said. "The reason I continue to tell my story is to help the younger generations. I may have lost my personal battle, but I haven't given up. I'm still fighting for all the other women and girls out there who deserve equal pay and equal treatment under the law."
AAUW is urging the swift passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which would address the U.S. Supreme Court's problematic decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and restore the long-standing interpretation of civil rights laws and EEOC policies that allowed employees to challenge any discriminatory paycheck they received. As one of the first acts of the new Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote again on the Ledbetter legislation, as well as on the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would provide additional tools to deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act. Both House votes are expected this week.
AAUW's conventions provide a forum for members to share their passion and commitment to enhancing the status of women and girls. Members who register for this year's convention by January 15, 2009, can take advantage of Best Value registration rates. For more information and to register for the convention, visit www.aauw.org/convention.
"The convention is an opportunity for our members to have a voice on AAUW issues at the national level, to receive training, and to be inspired and reenergized," said Kate Farrar, director of the AAUW Leadership and Training Institute. "AAUW conventions always draw dynamic speakers, from Rep. Nancy Pelosi to Mae Jemison to Gloria Steinem. These are all women who, like Lilly Ledbetter, are breaking through barriers so that all women can have a fair chance."
