SENATE REJECTS PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT

- Friday, June 15, 2012

• Article 325 : MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE PASSES FY ’13 BUDGET
• Article 347 : Grocers Coupon Services for MFA Members Only
• Article 348 : The Griffin Report of Food Marketing
• Article 376 : MFA ADDRESSES TOWN OF BROOKLINE, MA PROPOSAL TO BAN POLYSTYRENE AND CERTAIN DISPOSABLE BAGS
• Article 387 : BIG Y TURNS PINK
• Article 397 : 2013 HOLIDAY CALENDAR
• Article 410 : C&S Wholesale Grocers Responds After Hurricane Sandy
• Article 411 : Big Y Launches Customer and Employee Donation Program
• Article 412 : Big Y Re-Opening / Donation to Schools
• Article 414 : BIG Y'S SACK HUNGER / HELP OTHERS
• Article 416 : 2012 MFA ANNUAL MEETING AND HALL OF FAME PICTURES
• Article 417 : 2012 MASSACHUSETTS BEST BAGGER WINNER - DANNY JOHNSON of ROCHE BROS. SUPERMARKETS
• Article 418 : MFA's Hall of Fame & Community Service Awards
• Article 423 : STOP & SHOP GOES PINK IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS ORGANIZATIONS
• Article 429 : Big Y Donates $75,000 to Superstorm Sandy and American Red Cross Disaster Relief
• Article 431 : CREDIT CARD LITIGATION UPDATE:
• Article 432 : Register Here- for the MFA 2013 Annual Convention
• Article 435 : MASSACHUSETTS FOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS SCAN UPDATE
• Article 436 : MFA Newscan January 21, 2013
• Article 438 : MFA Newscan January 14, 2013
• Article 441 : MFA Newscan January 28, 2013
• Article 442 : BIG Y's "SACK HUNGER" PROGRAM DONATES 162,830 LBS OF FOOD
• Article 444 : Ahold USA Names Mark McGowan To Exec. V.P. Of Merchandising
• Article 445 : Letter to MFA from the Department of Children and Families
• Article 468 : MESSAGE FROM: Joe Kelley, Stop & Shop Supermarkets and Jay Rainville, Demoulas Supermarkets.

According to the Food Marketing Institute, the U.S. Senate recently rejected the so-called Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 3200) by a vote of 52 yeas to 47 nays.  The bill that was sponsored by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) needed 60 votes in order for the Senate to invoke cloture and vote on passage.  S. 3220 sought to reduce salary differentials between male and female employees by strengthening remedies against gender-based wage discrimination.  S, 3220 would have made supermarket employers more susceptible to costly lawsuits if they use salary differentials based on factors, such as prevailing economic conditions, profitability of a store, store location, an individual’s productivity, education and work experience.  In a letter sent to the entire Senate, FMI stated among other things S. 3220 is not needed because individuals are already protected from gender-based salary discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963.  Even though prospects for approval of S. 3220 were unfavorable, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) forced a vote on the bill for purely political purposes.  According to FMI, it is highly unlikely that the Paycheck Fairness Act will be brought back to the Senate floor for further consideration this year.