WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Rewarding Hard Work by Women

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

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EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, March 8, 2014

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Rewarding Hard Work by Women

WASHINGTON, DC – In this week’s message, Elmy Bermejo, the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Labor spoke about making sure our economy rewards the hard work of women.  A true opportunity agenda is one that works for working women. Because when women succeed, America succeeds. 

The audio of the address and video of the message is available online HERE. 

Remarks of Elmy Bermejo

Spanish Weekly Address

The White House

March 22, 2014

Hi, everybody.  This week, the President spoke about making sure our economy rewards the hard work of women. 

Today, women make up about half of our workforce, and more than half of recent college graduates.  More women are now their families’ main breadwinners than ever before. 

But in many ways, our economy hasn’t caught up to this new reality yet.  On average, a woman still earns just 77 cents for every dollar a man does.  And too many women face outdated workplace policies that hold them back – which holds back our families and our entire economy.

A woman deserves to earn equal pay for equal work, and paid leave that lets you take a day off to care for a sick child or parent.  Congress needs to act on these priorities. 

And when women hold most lower-wage jobs in America, Congress needs to raise the minimum wage.  Because no woman who works full-time should ever have to raise her children in poverty.

But if we’re truly going to reward the hard work of every American, Congress needs to join the rest of the country and pass a bill that would lift the federal minimum wage to ten dollars and ten cents an hour.  This wouldn’t just raise wages for minimum wage workers – its effect would lift wages for nearly 28 million Americans across this country.  It will give businesses more customers with more money to spend, and grow the economy for everybody.  It’s time to give America a raise. 

A true opportunity agenda is one that works for working women. Because when women succeed, America succeeds.  We do better when everyone participates, and when everyone who works hard has the chance to get ahead. 

Thanks, everybody, and have a great weekend. 

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