Shirley Leung hit the nail on the head when she said that “if we are to make meaningful progress in closing the gender pay gap, we have to try something new” (“No unity on bill to grant women equality in pay,” Page A1, Jan. 29). It has been over 50 years since the federal Equal Pay Act was passed, and yet, if we continue our current pace of progress, women in Massachusetts are still not expected to achieve pay equity until 2058, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.Clearly we need to put our foot on the gas, and the business community needs to fuel the acceleration.
The Alliance for Business Leadership, where I serve on the board, has been pushing for the bill before the Legislature. Last summer I testified at the State House in favor of equal pay, and saw firsthand how important the voice of business leaders is to the debate around this issue.
I applaud the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce for joining the Alliance in championing pay equity, and for making the case that closing the wage gap is good for business and good for the economy.