[Excerpt] Over the past decade different groups have had varying degrees of interest in pay equity and comparable worth. Those groups pursuing women's rights (e.g. NOW and 9 to 5) and some unions, most notably those in which women make up a high percentage of membership, (e.g. AFSCME) have had a keen and constant interest. In the private sector major employers exhibited strong interest early on, but that interest waned, particularly as the issue seemed to shift to the public sector and seemed to be one of concern for state and local governments. Several firms testified and lobbied state and local legislative committees and task forces on the issue.