Union Update
Spotlight on Women's Equality March 2009
- Spotlight on Women's Equality
- Women' s rights are not negotiable
- Scholarships available for PSAC members and their children
- Harper's hit list
- You may be eligible for cash compensation thanks to a recently-settled federal pay equity complaint
- Get on board the e-Train
Spotlight on Women's Equality
On this International Women's Day, PSAC is focusing on how the Harper government has undermined women's rights. It's time to put women's equality back on the political agenda. On March 8 and throughout the month, take some time in your home and workplace to think about the fight for women's equality. If the 2009 federal budget is any indication, we are going to need your energy and commitment more now than ever.
Women' s rights are not negotiable
The Conservative government has been systematically chipping away at women's rights since taking power in 2006. In the budget it tabled last January, the government took aim specifically at pay equity for women employed in the federal public service. On the occasion of International Women's Day, PSAC is denouncing the sexist and discriminatory policies of the Harper government.
Child care
Child care is clearly not a priority for this government. In fact, Canada ranks last among developed countries when it comes to the number of available child care spaces. Public funding earmarked for child care services and early childhood education doesn't even come close to meeting the need.
In spite of broad consensus that a $2.2 billion investment is urgently needed, the Harper government refused to allocate a portion of its 2009 budget to funding of child care services. This decision will have dramatic repercussions across the country.
It is estimated that 22,000 child care spots will be lost in Ontario due to a lack of federal funding. PSAC believes that Canada needs a universal child care system now. This is crucial to ensuring equality for women. We must continue to pressure the federal government so that we win this make-or-break battle!
Pay equity
As part of the 2009 budget, the federal government introduced a bill to supposedly “modernize” pay equity for women employed in the federal public service. In fact, the new law restricts the scope of pay equity so that fewer women are entitled to it. These new “equitable compensation” rules will relegate pay equity to the bargaining table and take it out of the human rights domain.
As a result, women in the public service will no longer be able to take their cases to the Human Rights Commission when they feel that they are not being given equal pay for work of equal value. What's worse is that unions will be prohibited from helping their members make complaints, under threat of a $50,000 fine.
Pay equity, however, is a fundamental human right, which means it is should not be negotiable. When all is said and done, the employer always has control over working conditions and salaries. In the federal system, Treasury Board has been putting off a review of its classification systems for more than a decade, which ultimately determines how women will be compensated. The notion that equality could be guaranteed though negotiations where the employer holds the balance of power is just absurd.
PSAC is fighting hard against the Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act, demanding that Parliament remove it from the budget bill. Government officials have admitted that there is no proof that the new pay equity rules will save the government any money. But the Harper Conservatives are insisting on shoving the law into the omnibus budget bill, making it a matter of confidence on which the government could fall.
The NDP and the Bloc Québécois are attempting to remove the pay equity bill from the Budget Implementation Act. PSAC members across Canada are putting pressure on the Liberals to support the initiative, urging them not to sell out pay equity for women in the federal public sector.
PSAC will continue to fight against this regressive law and insist that the federal government follow the 2004 recommendations of the Pay Equity Task Force. Canadian women deserve a pay equity regime that is truly proactive and will ensure equal pay for work of equal value. The fight is not over.
Equality and justice now!
In November 2008, the United Nations criticized Canada for failing to meet its commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. As was the case in 2003, the CEDAW Committee believes Canada is not doing enough and must adopt special measures to promote the equality of women, particularly when it comes to pay equity.
On this International Women's Day, we demand that the federal government:
- Respect women's rights by guaranteeing equal benefits and equal protection to all women.
- Review its budget policies so that women can actually receive their fair share of public funding and benefit equally from stimulus spending.
- Provide adequate funding for a universal public child care system.
- Scrap the Public Service Equitable Compensation Act and implement the recommendations of the Pay Equity Task Force.
PSAC members in Moncton protested against the government's new “pay equity” bill last month.
Scholarships available for PSAC members and their children
Will your children be attending college or university next year? Are you thinking of returning to school? Could you use a little financial help?
Once again, PSAC is offering 15 scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $4,000, available for dependant children of PSAC members. As well, three out of the seven $1,000 PSAC Regional Scholarships may be awarded to PSAC members who are returning to university, college or a recognized institute of higher learning on a full-time basis.
PSAC members (as parents of applicants or as applicants) must be in good standing as of March 31, 2009.
The scholarships are not restricted to first-year students. No more than one scholarship will be awarded to the same family in a given year and no applicant will be awarded a scholarship more than once.
The scholarships are awarded primarily based on the merit of the 800-word essay on the following topic:
The nature of the workforce and PSAC's membership is changing. Workplaces in Canada are experiencing an unprecedented wave of retirements and, as a result, the demographic is changing to reflect a younger and more diversified workforce. PSAC's membership is no different. Please discuss two strategies outlining how PSAC can broaden its appeal in order to remain relevant to a younger and more diversified membership.
Deadline is July 16, 2009 at 4 p.m.
Visit psac-afpc.com for the full list of available scholarships and application guidelines.
Harper's hit list
If there was any doubt about the Harper government's position on women's equality, a quick look at its actions over the last two years make the Conservative agenda crystal clear.
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Attacks on child care: One of the Harper government's first actions after being elected in 2006 was to cancel previouslycommitted funding for a universal, public child care system.
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Attacks on women's rights organizations: The Conservatives made major cuts to Status of Women Canada in 2006, closing 12 out of 16 regional offices. They also changed the eligibility requirements for women's groups seeking funding, banning them from engaging in advocacy or feminist research.
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Attacks on human rights: In 2006, Harper cut all funding to the Court Challenges program, which for many years had provided financial support for women and other groups to bring equality cases to court. In doing so, he effectively undercut women's abilities to challenge discriminatory laws and prevented them from seeking justice.
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Attacks on women's reproductive rights: Last spring, the majority of Conservative MPs backed a Private Member's Bill that would have established legal “personhood” for fetuses and threatened a woman's right to a legal abortion in the process. Bill C-484 purported to protect women by making it a separate crime to injure an “unborn child,” but would have compromised the rights of pregnant women in the process. The bill died on the order paper after the 2008 election was called, but it is widely anticipated that another Conservative MP will introduce similar legislation in the near future.
You may be eligible for cash compensation thanks to a recently-settled federal pay equity complaint
Attention former federal government workers who were transferred to provincial governments in 1992, 1997 and 1998 under the terms of an employee transfer agreement.
You may be entitled to cash compensation under the terms of settlement of a recently settled federal human rights complaint. Note that this settlement is in addition to any monies you may have received as a result of the Global Pay Equity decision that dealt with pre-transfer pay inequities.
Contact PSAC immediately if:
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You are a former federal government employee (or the heir or assigned successor of such an employee).
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You transferred to work for the government of Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec or New Brunswick in 1992, 1997 or 1998 and you were transferred under the terms of an employee transfer agreement.
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You worked in the CR (clerical) occupational group at the time of transfer.
The terms of settlement has strict timelines for the provision of information to the federal government so that eligible individuals can be identified and payments can be made. Accordingly, you should contact PSAC as soon as possible. If you believe that you may be one of those entitled to compensation or you know someone who might be, contact Annette Marquis at PSAC for more information:
E-mail: amarquis@psac-afpc.com
Voicemail: 1-888-604-7722 ext. 5457
Mail: Annette Marquis
Pay Equity Settlement,
Public Service Alliance of Canada
901-233, Gilmour Street
Ottawa, ON K2P 0P1
Get on board the e-Train
on April 7, 2009
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