Washington, DC--Today, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) released the statement of Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger on the passing of civil rights activist Dorothy Height:

For those of us who consider ourselves partners in the struggle for equal and civil rights, the passing of Dorothy Height is both cause for mourning and an important reminder of the lengths we still have to go. When Dorothy began marching in protests in the 1930s, women had barely been granted the right to vote, and the civil rights movement wasn't yet a glimmer in our nation's eyes. Today, because of Dr. Height's tireless efforts, women have unprecedented opportunities to build better communities and lead in their workplaces.

"Yet Dorothy's passing on Equal Pay Day--the day each year when women's salaries for equal work finally catch up to men's salaries from the year before--seems painfully fitting, as though, even in death, she continues to remind us that our work is not yet done. Dorothy stood by President Kennedy's side at the original signing of the Act in 1963, and was a fierce advocate for working women. This year, for the first time, women constitute the greatest portion of the labor force working inside and outside the home, yet the 23 cent price differential between male and female salaries has remained unchanged for more than a decade. To put it in perspective, the average woman will earn from $700,000 to $2 million less than the average man during her working lifetime. The numbers are even more stark for women of color, including immigrant women. As Dorothy would agree, that's unacceptable.

"So this Equal Pay Day, SEIU mourns and salutes Dorothy Height, a pioneer, a rabble-rouser, an inspiration, and- like so many members of SEIU-- a social worker, who proved when individual working people stand up, they truly can change the world."

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