The United Steelworkers (USW) is blasting Republican senators after they blocked consideration of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

That legislation would have reversed a U.S. Supreme Court decision which ruled that a supervisor named Lilly Ledbetter could not sue her employer, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in Alabama, over unequal pay because the alleged discrimination which cut her wages occurred years before she filed her complaint.

The U.S. House passed this same legislation last year, according to a statement released on Thursday by the USW, and a lower court awarded $4 million in damages to Ledbetter. But the 11 Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently overturned that award on the ground that Ledbetter failed to file her complaint within 180 days of the alleged discrimination. The U.S. Supreme Court later upheld the 11th Circuit Court’s ruling.

“Just one day after National Equal Pay Day,” USW International President Leo Gerard said, “Senate Republicans chose to deny working women and men who are victims of compensation discrimination in the workplace the opportunity to seek effective remedies.

Their actions sent a resounding message to America’s working families that equal work does not amount to equal pay. As our economy continues to spiral downward, every penny counts and workers who are victims of pay discrimination cannot afford to not have remedies in place to ensure pay equity.”

Posted 4/25/2008