Our shared goal is equal pay, on and off and field.
Did you see the U.S. women’s soccer World Cup champions are playing Portugal at Lincoln Financial Field tonight in Philadelphia as part of their victory tour?
Earlier this week, we met with several players, representatives of U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association, and advocates from TIME’S UP at a meeting designed to kick off working together toward equal pay in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney with World Cup Champions Julie Ertz, Jessica McDonald and Rose Lavelle
“This meeting was really cool,” said Jess McDonald, a member of the USWNT Players Association and 2019 World Champion. “It’s like us learning a new language from experts — all different individuals from different career fields coming together to fight for equality in the workplace.”
The meeting at La Colombe in Fishtown included representatives from the local chapter of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, ROC United, Community Legal Services, and lawmakers who have championed equal pay such as Rep. Donna Bullock, Rep. Maria Donatucci, and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, devoted soccer fan and equal pay champion who signed a “prior wage” equal pay ordinance into law. The law has been tied up in court after the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and local businesses including Comcast, Drexel University, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia sued to block it from being implemented.
The case is now pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
In March, 28 members of the U.S. women’s soccer team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation and have been vocally calling for equal pay on and off the field, activism that led to the World Cup crowd erupting in chants of “equal pay!”
World Cup champion Rose Lavalle with Rep. Donna Bullock, who has repeatedly sponsored equal pay bills in the state Legislature
“There’s something really empowering and inspiring about being in a room with a ton of people who are all working towards equality for women,” said Rose Lavelle, another member of the USWNT Players Association and 2019 World Champion. “I’ve loved meeting and learning from so many different people. I think there is strength in numbers so building these connections and relationships is so important towards our fight for women.”
WLP Staff Attorney Amal Bass briefed the room on the status of equal pay in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania and outline legislative and organizing opportunities to close the gap.
“We’ve been watching in awe as the athletic talent and relentless drive of the U.S. Women’s National Team players led them to the World Championship, and as they brought the fight for gender equity off the field by calling for equal pay for all,” said Amal Bass, Women’s Law Project staff attorney. “That’s the kind of aggressive drive we need here in Pennsylvania if we hope to ever improve statewide equal pay protections, given the current leadership in Harrisburg. Meanwhile, we continue to support the city of Philadelphia in their defense of the prior wage equal pay ordinance, which would have already been in effect if not for business interests suing to block it.”
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania lags far behind most other states and has outdated equal pay protections with Black women, Latinx people, and LGBTQ workers affected the most. Our state law was adopted in 1959 and has not been updated since 1967 when it was amended to apply to fewer people.
While we absolutely must address pay discrimination, passing paid leave and raising the minimum wage would also narrow the pay gaps.
We’re excited about this partnership with World Cup champions and TIME’S UP, and appreciate the players’ enthusiasm in using their platform to raise the score for women and gender-nonconforming people in all fields.
What can you do to fight for equal pay?
- Learn about the loopholes in our state equal pay law and bills under consideration that could close them
- Contact your state Representative and Senator and urge them to support equal pay bills, raising the minimum wage, and paid leave
- Stay up to date about equal pay advocacy opportunities by subscribing to our Action Alerts
- Support the fight for a Domestic Worker Bill of Rights in Philadelphia
- Support our equal pay work by attending or sponsoring our annual party in Philadelphia on November 22
See you at the game!
The Women’s Law Project is a public interest law center devoted to defending and expanding the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQ people in Pennsylvania and beyond.
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