Equal Pay for All to Hold Event Honoring 50th Anniversary of Equal Pay Act

Equal Pay for All announced that it would hold an event honoring the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s historic signing of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 at Wellesley Town Hall Green, 525 Washington St., Wellesley, at noon Friday, Oct. 25.

On June 10, 1963, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act with the goal of ending wage disparities between men and women. Fifty years later, however, women earn 23 cents less than their male counterparts when performing the same work. With more and more women becoming the breadwinners within their families, pay inequity continues to hurt Massachusetts’s families and the economy.

Equal Pay for All, a Massachusetts coalition committed to the ideal of wage equality, will join fellow allies at this important event to reflect on the past accomplishments of the women’s pay equity movement and refocus on the unfinished business ahead.

Among those in attendance will be Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Joanne F. Goldstein.

 “As we celebrate President Kennedy’s historic signing of the Equal Pay Act, I thank all women who tirelessly fought for this equality back in the 1960’s and all advocates who continue to promote equity in the workplace today,” Goldstein said.  “While we have made significant progress over the past 50 years, we remain dedicated to ensuring equal pay for all women and economic and workplace equality for all working people. I am proud to have played a small part in this important movement and am able to continue to advocate for good jobs and sustainable wages for workers in Massachusetts.”

Federal and state elected officials, activists, members of the Massachusetts labor community, members of IBEW Local 103 and working men and women are also expected to attend.