Update: So far over 5,000 people have signed the online petition as back-to-school shopping hits full stride with the state's tax-free shopping weekend, which starts today.
"It’s not a good weekend to have this kind of press, but it’s not ever a good time for them to have this type of press because it's not a good time to take this kind of position on an issue," said Ed Espinoza of Progress Texas.
Macy's has released a statement defending its support of Perry's veto and their own company structure:
"We believe that existing federal and state laws provide strong remedies for the resolution of any claims of discrimination."
"73% of management-level executives at Macy's, Inc. are women, and we have been widely recognized for our support of women at all levels of the organization and in the communities where we operate."
Original Post (Aug. 8): A recently-released list of retailers that urged Gov. Perry to veto a fair-pay bill for Texas women has Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, calling for a boycott of those businesses and has social media in an uproar.
Progress Texas, an advocacy group focused on progressive issues and women's rights, is igniting their base and has an online petition and boycott pledge that sends emails to Kroger and Macy's representatives explaining the reasons for the boycott.
Their message, and that of Thompson, is ringing true with Twitter users all over the U.S.:
Boycott @Macys + @kroger for advocating to deny women equal pay in Texas. http://t.co/g7aF5ij98z #TXlege #FairPay Sign Petition!#UniteBlueTX
— BCarrz (@bcarrz) August 8, 2013
Thompson said she was shocked to learn the names of the retailers and associations that wrote a letter to Gov. Rick Perry urging him to veto the bill she authored that mirrored the federal Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.
"I was very disappointed and it was very appalling to find out that there was still retailers with in our society who want to discriminate against women on equal pay," Thompson said.
Thompson’s bill would’ve allowed women to file a lawsuit against companies financially discriminating against them in state court rather than having to go through the process of filing federal litigation.
Thompson said some of the names on the list were places where she routinely shopped.
"I’m a card-packing member of Kroger and a card-packing member of Macy’s, but I don’t plan to shop there any more until they have a different policy toward equality for women," she said.
The Gerland Corp., Brookshire Grocery Company, Market Basket, the Texas Association of Business, Texas Association of Retailers and the National Federation of Independent Businesses also asked the governor to veto the bill because they said it would’ve led to more lawsuits.
"If you are following the law, how do you intend to have lawsuits unless you intend to be a law-breaker," Thompson said.
Thompson said she plans to re-file the bill in 2015 and urges all Texans to become acquainted with those retailers that urged the governor to veto the Fair Pay Act.
