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President Obama says women deserve equal pay for equal work

by Reuters

In his fifth State of the Union address, President Barack Obama talked about the effects of stagnant wages, and said they are especially challenging for women.

He said it's time for politicians and businesses to work together to ensure equal pay for equal work. "Today women make up about half our workforce. But they still make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. That is wrong, and in 2014, it's an embarrassment. A woman deserves equal pay for equal work. She deserves to have a baby without sacrificing her job. A mother deserves a day off to care for a sick child or sick parent without running into hardship - and you know what, a father does, too. It's time to do away with workplace policies that belong in a "Mad Men" episode. This year, let's all come together - Congress, the White House, and businesses from Wall Street to Main Street - to give every woman the opportunity she deserves. Because I firmly believe when women succeed, America succeeds."

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