Alongside other laws that advance real equality in the workplace—including human rights, pay equity and accessibility legislation, as well as collective bargaining protections—the EEA is a vital tool for workers facing entrenched, systemic barriers to employment. At its core, employment equity is about ensuring workers have fair and equal access to good, stable jobs—also known as decent work.

In 2023, after extensive consultations with workers, unions, employers, and other stakeholders, the federal government’s Employment Equity Review Task Force released a landmark report with 187 recommendations to modernize and strengthen the Act. These recommendations outline concrete steps to tackle systemic discrimination in hiring, promotion, and retention practices, and provide strong enforcement and compliance measures to hold employers accountable.

Following the report’s release, the previous Liberal government announced initial commitments to modernize the Act. These included creating two new designated groups under the EEA: Black and 2SLGBTQI+ workers; replacing the term “Aboriginal Peoples” with “Indigenous Peoples,” and updating the definition to include First Nations, Métis and Inuit people, and ensuring it is consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act; replacing the term “visible minorities” with “racialized people” and updating the corresponding definition; and, aligning the definition of “persons with disabilities” with the Accessible Canada Act to make it more inclusive.

But three years later, workers are still waiting.

The government’s failure to act means that workers from designated groups—who already face significant equity challenges—continue to be held back by outdated legislation and systemic discrimination. The Task Force report provides a clear roadmap for change, and at a time of deepening inequality, implementing its recommendations is more urgent than ever. Modernizing the Employment Equity Act is an opportunity for the federal government to take meaningful steps toward dismantling barriers faced by the many workers covered by the Act.

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to fully implement the comprehensive recommendations made by the Task Force and quickly introduce an updated Act. This must also include sufficient funding to support employers in implementing the Act and the resources necessary for the Canadian Human Rights Commission to carry out enforcement and ensure compliance and effective evaluation.

“No more waiting. A strengthened Act that reflects the current realities of Canada’s workforce and labour market is a critical tool for overcoming workplace barriers faced by workers from the existing designated equity groups, as well as those from the proposed new ones,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President.” While the EEA alone cannot eliminate systemic discrimination and racism in the workplace and labour market, it is of a broader framework of laws designed to advance fairness and inclusion. When strengthened and properly enforced, it can help correct systemic injustices and ensure that workers who have been historically excluded from opportunity are fully represented in Canada’s workforce.

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The recent wave of targeted actions to stop Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies, programs and initiatives in the United States has profound implications not just for workers south of the border, but for those here in Canada as well.

DEI initiatives are based on the principle that all workers, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other identities, should have equal opportunities and protections in the workplace. These principles align with the core values the Canadian labour movement has long fought to uphold, and we must continue to defend them now in these polarizing times.

By actively dismantling these initiatives, those wielding the axe are sending a clear message: that the rights of equity-deserving communities are expendable, that the pursuit of equality and fairness is optional and that the systemic inequities that DEI programs aim to address are not only acceptable but desirable.

This is not just a debate over workplace policies—what we are witnessing is not a genuine effort to improve workplaces—but a ploy by reactionary right-wing forces and politicians seeking to roll back the clock on hard-won rights and create a divisive, exclusionary society. Attacks on DEI initiatives are part of a concerted and organized effort to undermine progress on human rights, sow division among workers and maintain power structures that benefit the few at the expense of the many.

“These are deliberate attacks on the fundamental human rights that underpin a just society. They aim to create a narrative, and indeed a society, where equity and social progress are seen as threats, and exclusion and discrimination are accepted, normalized and further entrenched. We won’t stand for it,” said CLC Executive Vice-President, Larry Rousseau.

In Canada, where we continue to see a rise in hate due to years of deliberate fear-mongering by politicians and far-right actors, the widespread anti-DEI actions in the U.S. will only embolden those who seek to undermine and reverse our nation’s progress on social issues and human rights. In a climate where the affordability crisis is seeing neighbours being pitted against one another and entire communities being scapegoated for the actions of big business, big developers and greedy politicians, it is crucial that we remain unwavering and unapologetic in our defense of equity and inclusion. Not only as fundamental safeguards for human rights, but also in defense of workers and the strength of organized labour, which, together, can resist these forces.

The fight for DEI is a fight for unity among workers. It is about recognizing that an injury to one is an injury to all and that when we elevate the rights and opportunities of the most marginalized among us, we strengthen those of all workers. When we stand together—united in our demands for equity, dignity, and justice—we are a formidable force able to use the collective strength needed to challenge the longstanding systems of power that perpetuate widespread inequities.

Now more than ever, we must stand united in defense of the rights and needs of all workers, firmly rejecting any efforts to divide us. Check out our Workers Together campaign and join the fight today.

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The Employment Equity Act represents a critical tool in our efforts to combat racism in the workplace and address the inequities experienced by Black, Indigenous, and racialized workers. Enacted to promote equality and eliminate discriminatory barriers in employment in federally-regulated workplaces, the Act provides a framework for employers to proactively address systemic inequities and ensure fair representation for all groups, including Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, women, and racialized people – designated groups under the current Act.

While the Employment Equity Act lays the foundation for progress, much work remains to be done to fully realize its potential, which can be achieved through its modernization. The recently released Employment Equity Review Task Force report, which came after consultations with numerous stakeholders, including Canada’s unions, provides a number of recommendations to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of the Act, including measures to address systemic racism and discrimination in hiring, promotion, and retention practices.

“We stand firm in our commitment to combat systemic racism and discrimination in the labour market, to ensure a future where every individual is treated with dignity, respect, and equality,” said CLC Executive Vice-President Larry Rousseau. “The recommendations put forth by the Task Force offer an important opportunity to eradicate existing deep-seated inequities and prevent future ones, which is absolutely essential to addressing systemic racism and ensuring Black, Indigenous, and racialized workers are no longer being left out in the cold. This is how we build a society free from discrimination, racism, and prejudice.”

The Task Force recommendations include investing in targeted initiatives to support the recruitment, training, and advancement of underrepresented groups in the workforce, as well as ensuring robust enforcement mechanisms to hold employers accountable for compliance with the Act.

Addressing racism and discrimination in the labour market is paramount to achieving fairness for all workers. Racial income gaps persist, as Indigenous, Black, and racialized workers continue to face barriers to employment opportunities, discriminatory hiring practices, unequal pay, and limited opportunities for advancement. Failure to address these inequities will only result in further exacerbation of the issues faced by these workers and perpetuate their exclusion from full and fair participation in the workforce.

Canada’s unions also have a role to play by taking proactive measures to advance employment equity within our own organizations. This includes removing barriers to equal opportunity and fair treatment, making employment equity part of the bargaining agenda, and ensuring that those most affected are on bargaining committees. Other measures include raising awareness among their members about the importance of employment equity, educating staff and leadership on the issue, and establishing accountability mechanisms for monitoring progress on employment equity within their organizations. Lastly, it is crucial for unions to advocate for policies and initiatives that advance employment equity, including a strengthened Employment Equity Act.

Read the full report from the Employment Equity Review Task Force here.

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The disproportionately high number of women living in poverty and their lack of access to care services are deeply interconnected. Developing a national, comprehensive strategy for Canada’s care economy would go a long way to easing the burden that care – both paid and unpaid – places on women.  

As Canada’s cost-of-living crisis continues, many workers and their families are struggling to manage the soaring costs of food, shelter and other essentials. Women and others who are disproportionately poor or low-income are being hit hardest. These challenges are exacerbated by the over-representation of women in low-wage, part-time and precarious jobs, and by their unpaid labour caring for children, aging parents and loved ones with disabilities.  

“This is about gender justice. It’s no secret that women perform the bulk of unpaid and paid care work, which pushes women into part-time, precarious, temporary, or minimum-wage jobs. The majority of minimum wage workers in Canada are women,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The consequences of the unequal division of care work on women’s economic security are severe, and the current affordability and housing crises are making life even more challenging – especially for the most marginalized women.” 

Women face higher rates of housing insecurity, food insecurity, and are less likely to qualify for employment insurance. The statistics are even worse for women living at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities: Indigenous, Black and women of colour, 2SLGBTQI women and nonbinary people and women with a disability.  

“It’s no wonder there are workforce crises in health care, childcare and other care sectors. Jobs caring for children, older adults and people with disabilities tend to be underpaid and precarious, and wages within the care economy are being eroded by inflation. These are jobs predominantly held by women, many of them immigrants and women of colour,” said Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. “Addressing the care crisis will have a massive impact on women’s jobs, women’s incomes, and their labour force participation, which also benefits Canada’s economy.” 

Canada’s unions see a vision for our country where everyone has a right to the care they need, and the people who provide care are visible, valued and supported. The federal government must develop a comprehensive and integrated care strategy that would enshrine the right of every person to the care they need to live full and dignified lives, reduce and redistribute women’s disproportionate responsibility for care, support paid and unpaid care workers and strengthen Canada’s care economy across all sectors.  

Canada needs a Care Economy Commission to study, design and recommend a national care strategy that would:   

• Create a broader and more inclusive labour market strategy to achieve high-quality, equitable care jobs;   
• Examine paid and unpaid care work and develop a roadmap to meet the increasing demands for care; and   

• Reduce and redistribute women’s unpaid care work by improving access to public care services for children, older adults and people with disabilities.  

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As advocates for fairness and equity in employment for all workers, regardless of background or identity, we look forward to delving into the details of the report, understanding the recommendations of the Task Force, and engaging in constructive dialogue with the government to ensure the effective implementation of measures that truly promote employment equity.

Canada’s unions are ready to contribute their expertise and work collaboratively with the government to ensure a meaningful modernization of the Employment Equity Act. The Canadian Labour Congress also thanks the Task Force for its work and commitment to addressing equity in employment, and we eagerly anticipate the positive impact that its recommendations will have on shaping a more inclusive and equitable Canadian workforce.

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In Canada, an estimated 3 million workers are employed in paid care occupations, amounting to nearly 1 in 5 workers. Most of these workers are women, and are often racialized and newcomer women.

“Our jobs, our families and our economy depend on having our care needs met. We know how crucial these services and caregivers are; from supporting our seniors and our children, to ensuring people living with disabilities can live dignified lives, and more,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “For too long, political leaders and Canadian society have taken both paid and unpaid care work for granted. As a result, much of this work—largely performed by women—remains precarious and undervalued, while those who perform it are at constant risk of violence and harassment.”

“Care workers have shared countless stories of overwork and burnout, low wages, and inadequate working conditions. It’s pushing people out of these sectors, and as more workers leave these problems will only deepen. We must confront this crisis now by boosting wages as a first step, and by developing an integrated care workforce strategy for the long term,” said Siobhán Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President.

“Care workers deserve better, and so do the people they care for,” said Bruske. “Care work should be rewarded appropriately—with better pay that reflects the value of their work; with good, stable jobs; and with safe and healthy working conditions. Building a better care workforce will ensure that everyone has access to care if or when they need it.”

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“We have stood in solidarity with disability activists and organizations who have lobbied for this benefit for years. Today is a historic moment to celebrate these efforts and reaffirm labour’s support to lift the floor on disability poverty from coast to coast.” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. “This win belongs to all the disability rights and justice activists who fought so hard to get us here.”  

Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act, was first promised in the September 2020 throne speech and proposed a new benefit program specifically targeting persons with disabilities in Canada. This benefit is to be distributed in addition to existing programs at the provincial and federal level that offer financial supports for persons with disabilities in Canada. 

Once implemented, the new benefit would be the first federal-level guaranteed monthly income supplement aimed at people living with disabilities of its kind in Canada. 

According to Statistics Canada, people with disabilities make up 41% of the low-income population in Canada, compared with 18% of the non-low-income population. Working aged people with severe disabilities face the highest rates of poverty in Canada. And while inflation has skyrocketed across the country, provincial disability benefits are not index-linked. This means people with disabilities who are already struggling to make ends meet and who face existing barriers to accessing the unique and often expensive supports they need, have been hit the hardest by Canada’s ongoing affordability crisis. 

“We look forward to continued solidarity and collaboration with the activists and organizations who have led these efforts to pass C-22, and to work with the government to ensure that the implementation of the new Canada Disability Benefit is well-resourced in the next budget,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the CLC. 

For further updates on the implementation of the benefit, follow the continued advocacy efforts of organizations led by people with disabilities, like Disability Without Poverty and Inclusion Canada.  

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Compounding this immense tragedy, is the fact that workers had refused to enter the factory because cracks in the walls had been spotted the day before, but were ordered back to work to avoid costly production delays.

“Rana Plaza exposed the dire conditions for workers in these factories that produce the world’s garments: poor wages, unsafe working conditions, precarious work, and intimidation and harassment in the workplace. Garment workers not only in Bangladesh, but around the world, are still working in absolutely appalling conditions and receiving unfair wages for their labour. It is way past time for things to change,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s unions, representing 3 million workers, have supported Bangladesh workers in their struggle for decent working conditions and the right to form independent unions to represent workers. We are part of allied networks pushing the government to enact robust legislation to mandate human rights obligations in the supply chains of Canadian companies.

On this grim anniversary, Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with workers in the garment sector in Bangladesh who are demanding respect for their human rights, including freedom of association, healthy and safe working conditions, and a living wage.  

In order to effectively prevent the next Rana Plaza, we call on the Canadian Government to:

• Introduce mandatory human rights due diligence legislation that requires Canadian companies, and companies that import goods into Canada, to respect human rights throughout their supply chains;
• Promote and protect the right to organize and bargain collectively as key enabling rights, without which decent work cannot take place; and
• Make trade preferences dependent on the respect for workers’ right to organize.

We call on Canadian clothing brands to:

• Sign the International Accord, the continuation of the Bangladesh Accord on Building and Fire Safety, which brought massive success in health and safety inspections and repairs to thousands of factories. When the Accord expires, it should be renewed as a legally binding, enforceable agreement, expanded to more countries for the long-term;
• End the race to the bottom borne by workers, by providing living wages and living wage compensation for workers suffering injury or death in the workplace across their supply chains; and
• Take responsibility for financing a permanent Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) in Bangladesh to compensate workers injured at work. 

Click here to add your voice to the struggle by leaving a message commemorating victims of the Rana Plaza disaster on a virtual memorial, and by calling on major international brands to sign the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry, ensure workplace safety and recognize the rights of workers to organize, refuse unsafe work and raise health and safety concerns.

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“The global care economy is in crisis. Here in Canada, underfunding, privatization and a lack of resources and supports for care workers has led to critical understaffing,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Each of us will need care at some point in our lives, but the shameful undervaluing of care workers – who are mostly women – has brought our care systems to the brink of collapse. Care workers are there for us during some of our most vulnerable moments, so we must support them in demanding better. Governments can’t claim to want to achieve pay equity while simultaneously ignoring the care crisis.”

In Canada, care jobs employ roughly one fifth of all workers, with women occupying 75% of those positions. Canada benefits greatly from both paid and unpaid care, with these services contributing tens of billions of dollars to the country’s economy. But successive rounds of cuts and concerted efforts at privatizing services have created a patchwork system, which is struggling under the weight of chronic underfunding and now, a global pandemic.

Meanwhile unpaid care, which is most often done by women, can impact women’s participation in the job market. Care responsibilities can significantly hinder a woman’s ability to access and maintain a good, stable job with decent pay.

Canada’s unions recently launched Show We Care, a national campaign aimed at raising the profile of care workers in Canada and addressing the mounting care crisis.

In Canada, it is estimated that the increased demands for care driven by the ageing population will add $93 billion to health care costs by 2028. And yet, according to the OECD, Canada falls near the bottom among wealthy countries in public expenditure on social services. The tragic losses of life in for-profit long-term care homes point to the failures of the private, for-profit model. These institutions have less staff, fewer hours of care per resident, more complaints from residents and family, more acute care hospital admissions, and higher mortality rates than public long-term care homes.

“Chronic underfunding has led to an erosion of available care, which has drastically increased the cost of care services. In addition to insufficient wages, poor working conditions, lack of support for workers, and harassment and violence in the workplace are driving workers out of the care sector,” said Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice President of the CLC “To mark International Equal Pay Day, Canada’s unions are calling on our federal government to make immediate investments across all care sectors, to lift wages for underpaid care workers and ensure good jobs that result in high quality care for people in Canada and their families.”

International Equal Pay Day – marked annually on September 18 – was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2019 and first marked in 2020.

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A national report released by the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter and Project 1907 shows that anti-Asian racism and xenophobia have continued to rise consistently across Canada two years into the pandemic.

“Historically, Asian Canadian workers faced exclusion from organized labour. They were barred from joining unions in numerous sectors, limiting opportunities for gainful and fair employment. Sadly, the discrimination and racism experienced by Asian workers is not relegated to the past. Workers continue to face anti-Asian racism in workplaces and unions, as well as – and increasingly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – in society at large,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

Canada’s unions are committed to working to eliminate anti-Asian racism and discrimination, both in the labour movement and society. This includes carrying on the work started by the CLC’s Anti-Racism Task Force, which developed a crucial report with recommendations on what needed – and still, 25 years later, needs – to be done within union structures to live up to the labour movement principles of justice and equality.

“We must do everything we can to adequately reach out to and support Asian workers to join and get involved in unions as workers and leaders, ensure that Asian workers are properly represented and supported as union members and support and amplify the great work being done by Asian community and labour activists across Canada,” said Lily Chang, CLC Secretary-Treasurer.

Asian Heritage Month is a time to celebrate and recognize workers from across Asia. It is an opportunity to highlight the rich and varied contributions made by generations of Canadians of Asian descent, and reflect on everything they have overcome. This includes the struggles of Asian workers in securing labour and human rights and facing racism and discrimination within workplaces, trade unions and broader society.

In the 1800s, an estimated 17,000 Chinese workers were first brought to Canada as indentured labourers to build the Canadian Pacific Railway. Workers laboured under dangerous and difficult conditions. They faced widespread racism from employers, government and from within the communities in which they worked and lived.

Asian workers also faced discrimination and exclusion in certain industries. In British Columbia, for example, the province’s Inspection of Metalliferous Mines Act of 1897 barred Japanese and Chinese workers from the metal mining industry. Asian workers were also excluded from public works projects, and several subsequent laws prohibited Asian workers from being hired by smaller railway companies in the province. While many South Asian workers found work in the lumber industry after arriving in Canada in the early 1900s, a law passed shortly thereafter barred all Asian workers from holding logging licenses.

Action:

Help us celebrate the contributions made by Asian communities in Canada. Share a story today.

Learn more:

As Asian Canadian scholars, we must #StopAsianHate by fighting all forms of racism

Doing the Work: Race, Labour and Transformative Justice

Short Documentary: Toronto Solidarity Rally Against Anti-Asian Racism

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“The banks now want to reward themselves and investors with windfall gains that come as a result of government support during the pandemic. Excessive payouts to investors, while support for people is being cut off by the government, is just not right,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Rather than allowing this pandemic to further entrench existing inequalities and allow the gap between the rich and poor to widen, the federal government should instruct OSFI to maintain restrictions on shareholder payouts, and immediately impose a windfall gains tax on banks and insurance companies to prevent surplus capital from being distributed as jackpot winnings to shareholders and company executives.”

When COVID-19 struck, the federal government’s first order of business was to pump money and credit into the financial sector and ease reporting requirements to reduce “the operational burden” on financial institutions. In the early days of the pandemic, the federal government and the Bank of Canada provided three-quarters of a trillion dollars in liquidity and financial support. In return, the financial regulator instructed banks and insurers to suspend share buybacks and not to increase dividend payments.

“The banks now want to reward themselves and investors with huge increases in dividends and share buybacks. The government must make sure that the big businesses that made record profits in the pandemic now pay their fair share,” said Bruske. “The government should go further, frankly, and introduce a wealth tax to begin taxing the concentrated riches of Canada’s wealthiest families to make sure everyone is contributing fairly to a more equitable society.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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“Canada’s unions welcome the decision by the Supreme Court of Canada to uphold the pay equity rights of registered nurses working in for-profit nursing homes. This victory came on the heels of a hard-fought 15-year battle by SEIU Healthcare and the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA).

“Canada’s unions extend our congratulations and thanks to the ONA, SEIU Healthcare and all the hard-working activists whose resilience and persistence made this win possible. Sometimes the road to progress is long, but this victory is another sign that working people, together, can accomplish so much.

“The Ontario government never should have appealed this to the Supreme Court in the first place, but now that the Supreme Court has ruled, these nurses will begin to see fairer wages. It is a good day for working women.”

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Sales and service workers have seen wages rise only 59 cents on average – less than price a bag of potatoes has gone up – since the pandemic struck. There are still nearly 300,000 more unemployed than in February 2020 and another million are employed but working fewer than half their usual hours.

“Under the last Conservative government, precarious work swelled while job quality decreased,” said Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Government has a role to play in making sure new jobs are decent ones, but that won’t happen under Mr. O’Toole’s policies, which appear to be written for him by large corporations.”

Bruske pointed out that inequalities laid bare by the pandemic are now reasserting themselves, as low-paid workers in precarious work struggle to boost hours and keep up with rising prices. 1 in 5 workers in Canada ­– 1 in 4 women workers – are officially low-paid, one of the highest proportions in the OECD.

“As working families struggle, Mr. O’Toole offers kind words but hostile policies that would mean lower wages, fewer benefits, and more precarious work,” said Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Mr. O’Toole’s plan fails to address the real economic challenges facing families. He is just another Conservative who will help companies keep wages low while denying workers the help they need.”

Bruske said that a real workers’ agenda would include raising the minimum wage; fair scheduling laws; increasing EI and paid sick leave; opening employment standards to gig economy workers; outlawing pay discrimination against part-time employees; and strengthening workers’ voices by providing a path to unionization.

Contact information:
Chantal St-Denis
Cell 613-355-1962
media@clcctc.ca

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“Over the past eighteen months, workers and their families have faced unprecedented challenges from a pandemic and fiscal crisis.

“Parents faced the pressure of working from home while dealing with their kids’ schooling. Workers faced the anxiety of being thrown out of work and being forced to turn to lower-paid, precarious jobs in the gig economy just to get by. We all faced the constant worry of trying to keep our loved ones safe and healthy.

“The pandemic also laid bare the inequality in our society. Too many women were forced out of the labour market altogether – pushed to the economic sidelines. Many of these workers are Black, Indigenous, racialized or recent immigrants and migrants. The she-cession isn’t just a catchy phrase, it’s a terrifying reality for so many women today.

“This election comes at a pivotal moment. The recovery provides a unique opportunity to finally address these problems. The choices Canada’s leaders make in the days and weeks to come will resonate for years into the future.

“While today we celebrate the important gains workers and their unions have made, we also commit to making sure the voices of working people are heard loud and clear, during this election and in the months and years that follow.

“Canada’s unions are demanding all parties embrace a recovery plan that includes replacing lost jobs with better ones. A plan for creating good jobs that are permanent, pay a living wage, have benefits and pensions, and are unionized. We know that more good union jobs means less inequality.

“The next crisis is coming, whether health or climate related. We are challenging all parties to work with us to do the hard work now, so Canada is ready when the next crisis comes. This means disaster-proofing Canada’s social safety net; investing in housing and child care, to help make life more affordable for families struggling to make ends meet; and strengthening our public health care through implementing pharmacare and getting profits out of seniors care.

“More than even in this election, political parties are campaigning for the votes of workers. We welcome this attention. But positive rhetoric is not enough if your policies appear to be written by large corporations.

“Canada’s unions will continue to amplify the voices of millions of workers – engaging voters and supporting candidates who put workers at the centre of their recovery plans. And we will be relentless in holding parties to account for policies that leave workers and their families behind.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

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COVID-19 is not the seasonal flu. It is much more deadly and has inflicted far greater damage on our health system, our economy, our livelihoods and the individual health of Canadians.

Canada’s unions strongly support vaccination against COVID-19 for every Canadian that can be vaccinated.

Science has demonstrated that vaccinations – alongside other measures like enhanced indoor ventilation, masking and physical distancing – are the most effective ways to fight COVID-19 and keep each other safe. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and maximizing vaccination rates is essential to defeating the virus.

Governments, unions, employers and the CLC have successfully collaborated in the “Faster, Together” campaign to promote awareness and increase vaccination rates. Labour strongly urges continued support and prioritization for these efforts.

Canada’s unions are concerned with the potential of mandatory vaccination policies to hand employers overreaching powers, with workers bearing the consequences. The following principles and priorities are therefore fundamental to the labour movement:

Any decision to impose mandatory vaccination policies must be based on scientific evidence and be made by public health officials, not employers or unions. Rules must be clear, consistent and based on the determination of public health experts, rooted in scientific evidence. It cannot be left to employers or unions, or be made for politically motivated reasons. Where the science supports a vaccination disclosure/testing policy for high risk settings or other workplaces, unions will comply.

Unions must be consulted in the development and implementation of any mandatory vaccination policies. The implementation details and legal framework for mandatory vaccination policies are critically important. Exemptions, accommodations for disability and other needs and human rights and privacy protections are essential. Some workers cannot be vaccinated for health reasons and other legitimate and protected reasons; these workers must be accommodated.

Government and employers have an obligation to take steps to maximize access and minimize barriers to vaccination. Some workers face legitimate barriers to getting vaccinated. Vaccine access is a challenge for workers in remote and rural areas. Some workers face challenges in getting time away from work and caregiving obligations. There are also systemic barriers facing low-income workers and those from racialized and equity-seeking groups. Some are hesitant and need education, information and support. Governments and employers have a responsibility to make vaccination as easy and straightforward as possible, including providing workplace and community vaccination clinics, paid vaccination leave and paid sick leave to deal with side effects resulting from vaccinations.

Canada’s unions are clear: we all have a collective responsibility to halt the transmission of the coronavirus that is sickening and killing people in Canada and worldwide. Our personal health, but also our jobs and economic livelihoods depend on minimizing the need for further lockdown measures.

Unions reject threats of discipline or termination as an approach to increasing vaccination rates. Unions will defend workers’ interests and insist employers respect the terms and conditions of the collective agreement and human rights codes. There are feasible and practical ways to respond to workers who are hesitant or opposed to vaccination. Regular testing, PPE, remote work, leave without pay and proven health and safety protocols are often feasible alternatives to discipline and termination.

Governments and employers have an obligation to ensure our workplaces are safe for workers. Unions insist that employers continue to fulfill their obligations to ensure workers’ health and safety in the workplace, including personal protective equipment, enhanced ventilation, workplace hygiene, masking and distancing requirements, as long as health professionals, including experts in occupational health and safety, advise these should remain in place. Vaccinations must not be an excuse to drop these protections or to download their health and safety responsibilities onto workers’ shoulders.

Privacy protections for workers and restrictions on employers’ access to confidential health information are a must. Unions are concerned about the confidentiality of workers’ vaccination information and the restrictions on employers’ ability to access and share this information. Labour also opposes employers being able to ask for this information prior to employment or to make employment decisions based on vaccination status.

Canada’s unions support public health measures to increase vaccination rates as an essential means of protecting Canadians’ health and safety and defeating the COVID 19 pandemic. This must be accomplished in a fair, reasonable, transparent, equitable fashion with full consultation and negotiation with unions.

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Uber drivers successfully petitioned the court to certify a class action on behalf of all Uber drivers and delivery workers who submit they are employees misclassified as independent contractors.

“All workers should have workplace protections and benefits. Canada’s unions support the decision to certify this class action and invite Uber drivers from coast-to-coast to unionize and collectively bargain their rights,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. “For too long, Uber has dictated terms of workers’ employment but hasn’t been accountable for providing basic employment standards like a minimum wage and vacation pay.”

In June of last year, an 8-1 decision of the Supreme Court of Canada found that Uber’s private arbitration clause in its contract with drivers is unfair, unconscionable and invalid. The company required Ontario drivers raising a dispute with the company to go to court in the Netherlands and pay legal and other fees amounting to most of their annual income.

“Courts cannot continue to be the main avenue through which workers demand their rights. It is too costly and time consuming, and companies like Uber have very deep pockets to drag out any legal challenge,” said Bruske.

“Governments must act to address the blatant misclassification of workers contained in gig economy employers’ business models. The competitiveness, growth strategy and business model of companies like Uber is built on denying workers their statutory and collective bargaining rights. Governments must step up and rectify the massive power imbalance between digital platform giants and low-paid gig workers,” Bruske added.

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A few short weeks ago, I was truly honoured to be elected to serve the working people of Canada as president of the Canadian Labour Congress. My fellow officers and I do not take this responsibility lightly – and it is not a job anyone can do alone. We are counting on you for your support … and your action.

Lily Chang, Siobhán Vipond, Larry Rousseau and I have already hit the ground running because we know that Canadians may very well be headed towards a federal election in the middle of a pandemic – making it one of the most important elections in a generation.

My first experience in the labour movement was as a young worker fighting for fair wages, benefits and protections at a corner grocery store in Winnipeg. My spirits were lifted by the incredible support we received from other workers and community members.

That memory has continued to inspire me to stand up for other people, speak out against injustice, and to always – always – try to make the world a better place.

But that memory also stands out because of how relevant that lesson is today.

When the global pandemic plunged our economy into uncertainty, it was front line workers in every sector who kept our families safe and healthy, and our communities running.

After being celebrated as heroes for the first few months, most of those workers lost their wage premiums, despite their continued dedication and exposure to risk. Meanwhile, many of the corporate CEOs clawing back their benefits continue making record profits.

I am sure that every worker in Canada has a unique story about the impact of the pandemic.

The upcoming federal election will be our opportunity to define Canada’s priorities.

It is our opportunity to fight for decent wages, standards, and equity to ensure no one is left behind, and we know that workers’ rights are human rights.

It is our opportunity to fight for paid sick leave and social programs – like universal pharmacare, affordable childcare, better healthcare and a stronger social safety net – to put an end to precarity and insecurity.

And it is our opportunity to protect the planet for future generations, by demanding bold climate action and a sustainable recovery.

That’s why I am asking you, and every worker in Canada, to sign up to be a part of this fight.

Click here to join our Action Team to help amplify worker issues and priorities in the upcoming federal election. We will call on you to share messages, send letters, and press local candidates and national parties to support worker issues.

I also invite you to follow me on Facebook and Twitter to be a part of my team too.

After all, I know that we are much stronger when we work together.

In Solidarity,

Bea Bruske
President

The post Open Letter to the Working People of Canada appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Pride is and has always been political, with deep roots in protest and resistance,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President. “As we enter the second Pride season marked by lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, it’s more important than ever to celebrate Pride with calls to action. This includes strengthening Canada’s social safety net so that we are all part of a strong pandemic recovery.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2SLGBTQI communities were already experiencing severe inequities. Over a year later, the situation has become even more dire, as 2SLGBTQI populations have been heavily impacted by the pandemic.

The recent federal budget committed to a $15 million investment over three years for a new LGBTQ2 Projects Fund, and $7.1 million, also over three years, for Heritage Canada to continue to operate the LGBTQ2 Secretariat.

While welcome, these funding commitments won’t address chronic underfunding of supports and services for these populations.

“Without proper investments in community organizations and support services, those who are already most vulnerable will be overlooked and left out when it comes to pandemic recovery,” said Rousseau.

In the coming months, the federal government will be developing an 2SLGBTQI Action Plan to guide its work around issues affecting 2SLGBTQI communities and conducting consultations with organizations to shape the Action Plan.

In order to meet the needs of 2SLGBTQI communities, the root causes of systemic inequity must be addressed. Canada’s unions urge the federal government to:

• Guarantee, in partnership with provinces and territories, long-term, core operational funding for 2SLGBTQI community organizations and service providers across the country, so that they are better equipped to provide the supports needed by community members;
• Strengthen the Employment Equity Act by including 2SLGBTQI workers as a designated population under the Act to combat systemic barriers and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. They must ensure that 2SLGBTQI communities are thoroughly consulted during the process of modernizing of the Act; and
• Ensure that the implementation of GBA+ analysis across all levels of government includes meaningful intersectional 2SLGBTQI experiences and perspectives to properly identify the possible impacts of government policies, programs and services on 2SLGBTQI communities across Canada.

This Pride season, Canada’s unions continue to stand in solidarity with and fight alongside 2SLGBTQI workers and communities. We are calling for change toward a more equitable Canada for all. Sign our petition and join the fight.

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These shortcomings were not accidental; they were the result of a political agenda that prioritized cutting taxes, minimizing costs and regulatory burdens for employers, keeping workers vulnerable and reducing social program spending and public investment. In the 2020 pandemic, the decades-old priority placed on balanced budgets and holding down social investment failed Canadians spectacularly. Equally, however, the improvised emergency income supports, caregiver benefits, sick benefits and other measures rushed into place contained the seeds, however partial and incomplete, of a more resilient, equitable and inclusive society.

The CLC, which represents over 3 million workers in Canada, previously responded to the budget announcement, and is now issuing a more in-depth analysis of what these commitments by the federal government will mean for Canadian workers and their families.

Read the CLC’s full analysis here.

The post Canada’s unions release detailed analysis of Budget 2021 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified historical xenophobic, anti-Asian sentiment and rhetoric, which has resulted in increased violence against members of Asian communities. Live data from Fight COVID Racism shows that from March 10, 2020 to mid-April 2021, there were 994 reported incidents of anti-Asian hate crimes across Canada.

“May is Asian Heritage Month, and we’re taking this opportunity to highlight the struggle Asian communities are currently facing,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President. “There is no place for hate in Canada, and Canada’s unions are committed to advancing anti-racism efforts to confront and counter hate, and promote safer workplaces and communities.”

Canada’s unions are marking Asian Heritage Month by honouring the historical struggles of people of Asian descent in Canada and the community activism that challenged this country’s racist and discriminatory laws, practices and policies.

Asian communities helped build this country, yet they have faced exploitation, discrimination and racism, both in their workplaces and broader society. From the internment and property seizure of Japanese Canadians, to Chinese migrant workers who were first brought to Canada to build the Canadian Pacific Railway, to the Vancouver anti-Asian riots in the early 1900s, to the Continuous Journey Regulation and the Komagata Maru incident, the history of Asian communities in Canada includes experiences of significant adversity, as well as hard-won triumphs.

Members of Asian communities overcame these struggles by coming together and organizing in order to successfully challenge racist and discriminatory immigration laws and practices. Today, Asian community members continue to contribute greatly to the economy and to Canadian society, and provide a rich diversity of heritage, culture and perspectives across all sectors and industries.

In addition to a rise in anti-Asian sentiment, the pandemic has also increased the exploitation of workers in Canada, including migrant workers—many of whom are South Asian and South-East Asian women.

Throughout the pandemic, essential and migrant workers have made critical contributions to the wellbeing and safety of our communities. However, many have been working in dangerous conditions and without adequate protections, leaving them vulnerable and dependant on employers.

“While we welcome the recent federal announcement regarding the introduction of pathways to permanent residency for temporary essential workers, more action is needed for workers,” said Rousseau. “The limited nature of this new policy means that countless workers will continue to fall through the gaps. We urge the federal government to offer these pathways to permanent residency to all migrant workers, which would provide them with access to the government supports and labour protections they need.”

The post Canada’s unions condemn anti-Asian racism and urge solidarity with Asian communities appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The International Trans Day of Visibility is celebrated around the world on March 31^st as an opportunity to highlight the contributions of trans and non-binary community members.

“It’s challenging to celebrate a day like today when many trans and non-binary community members continue to fear for their safety and well-being. Trans people face disproportionately high levels of violence and harassment, both in the workplace and in the community,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. “Furthermore, transphobic violence has worsened during the pandemic. The federal government must take action to make workplaces safer by immediately ratifying ILO convention C-190. Everyone has a right to enjoy a workplace free from harassment and violence.”

Convention C-190 was adopted by the ILO in 2019 and is the first-ever global treaty on violence and harassment in the world of work. It sets out clear, gender-responsive policies for governments and employers to implement in order to work towards the elimination of all forms of violence and harassment at work.

The numbers paint a stark picture. According to research by Égale Canada, 30 percent of Canadian LGBTQ2SI workers report experiencing discrimination in the workplace. For trans workers, the economic impacts of this kind of discrimination are particularly dire. Forty-nine percent of trans people are turned down or suspect they are turned down from a potential job opportunity because they are trans.

Racialized trans and non-binary people experience harassment at even higher rates. A recent report from Trans PULSE Canada on the health and wellbeing of racialized trans and non-binary people during the pandemic found that 72 percent had experienced verbal harassment in the past five years and almost half of respondents had been harassed at work or school. The majority also worried about being stopped or harassed by police or security because of who they are.

Download your copy of Workers in Transition today to learn how to be a workplace advocate for trans workers

The post Canada’s unions urge federal government to help end transphobic harassment in the workplace appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Strengthening the Employment Equity Act is an important step towards addressing disparities in employment, and the systemic barriers faced by racialized workers,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. “But in order to be effective, this process must include meaningful consultation and engagement with members of equity-seeking groups covered under the Act. This must also include bargaining agents who represent them in the workplace.”

Historically, racialized workers have had fewer employment opportunities than their non-racialized counterparts and were often limited to service sectors, regardless of their educational achievements or qualifications. Today, racialized workers still face barriers in all aspects of work, from hiring, to advancement, to retention and workplace supports.

In modernizing the Employment Equity Act, the federal government must:

• Address the distinctive experiences of discrimination and racism faced by equity-seeking populations, rather than grouping them all together as “visible minorities” as it currently does;
• Expand coverage to LGBTQ2SI populations. Despite facing systemic barriers and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, these workers are not currently included as a designated group under the Act;
• Recognize the reality of the multiple identities workers may hold. These identities can intersect and impact their access to employment as well as the barriers they may face in the workplace. Nuanced and accurate analyses of employment inequities experienced by members of designated groups would allow for the development of more effective and targeted solutions to systemic racism and discrimination in employment.

Canada’s unions continue to call for the government to invest in building a stronger, more inclusive and sustainable economy for our families and the next generation.

A commitment to advancing employment equity is a part of the process, but it is only one piece. Visit canadianplan.ca to learn more.

The post Canada’s unions call on federal government to eliminate systemic racism in employment appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Following higher than expected job losses at the end of 2020, workers faced another large drop in employment, with 213,000 jobs lost last month.

“We’ve lost the small gains we had made in the fall. Canada lost three times more jobs in January than we did the previous month,” said Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff.

“Many workers are due to exhaust both unemployment and recovery benefits next month. The federal government must extend these benefits so that workers who are unemployed, through no fault of their own, will be supported until our economy begins a more stable recovery.”

Ongoing lockdown measures aimed at slowing the spread of the virus are inevitably having a devastating effect on job growth. Workers of colour and women have been hit especially hard by the economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Workers are struggling to make ends meet. The federal government must implement strong measures that will help ensure a healthy economic recovery when the pandemic is over. These job numbers highlight the important need for greater access to training opportunities for jobless workers looking to retrain or improve their skill set while receiving EI and recovery benefits,” said Yussuff.

To read more about the direct investments the CLC is calling for, visit canadaplan.ca.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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The Proud Boys, the Base, Atomwaffen, and the Russian Imperial Movement have been listed as terrorist entities. This means that these groups can no longer raise money or organize.

“These groups are a direct threat to the safety and wellbeing of workers of all backgrounds and specifically to those who are Indigenous, Black, Jewish, Muslim, or who represent other minority communities,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “We have seen a drastic resurgence in far-right extremist behaviour over the past several years. Letting these groups operate unchecked is dangerous and poses a real threat to our democracy and to the wellbeing of our communities. Today’s announcement is a welcome step in addressing this scourge.”

Unions in Canada have a long history of organizing against racism through advocacy and education. But far-right groups have thrived online, and the use of social media in particular has made it difficult to stem their use of misinformation to recruit new members and to mobilize.

Last year and for the first time ever, the federal government added two white-supremacist groups to the list of terrorist organizations.

“The reality is that white supremacist groups have not faced the same scrutiny as other racialized groups and that has allowed them to mobilize with relative freedom and impunity,” added Yussuff. “Furthermore, under anti-terror legislation, stereotypes and guilt by association have led to the over-surveillance of Muslim and Arab communities. Public safety measures must not stigmatize specific communities.”

According to counter-terrorism experts in Canada, there were 100 alt-right or white supremacist groups operating in Canada in 2015. There is widespread concern that those numbers are growing.

“Attacks by white supremacists tend to be targeted, and do not happen in isolation. The climate of hatred they foster puts workers’ health and safety at risk,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President at the CLC. “Incidents of intimidation at work and online harassment are on the rise, and must stop. Everyone deserves to live free from violence and harassment.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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“This is a time of reckoning,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “The double crisis of a global pandemic and outcries over racial injustice and police violence have taken a significant toll on Black communities in particular. We must move forward together and ensure no one is left behind.”

Black communities have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic. COVID-19 mortality rates are higher in neighbourhoods with a larger proportion of population groups designated as visible minorities, including Black people.

Black workers are at work on the frontlines of this pandemic. Many of these workers are women who are largely underpaid, working in dangerous and precarious working conditions without access to paid sick leave. This makes them even more vulnerable to the health, social and economic fallout of the pandemic.

“The pandemic has only worsened long-standing, stark social and economic inequities,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President at the CLC. “Racial equity and the needs of Black communities must be a priority in the government’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. The government must seize the opportunity to centre the voices and concerns of Black workers and communities.”

Canada’s unions are also calling on the government to make stronger data collection and accountability a priority. The availability and collection of race-based data in Canada is sorely lacking. Without such data, the full scope and manifestations of systemic anti-Black racism and racial inequity will remain unaddressed.

Furthermore, there is an urgent need for critical investments in public social infrastructure including child care, Employment Insurance and affordable housing, as well as community-based health and social services.

The CLC will be hosting a webinar on equitable recovery for Black workers and communities in Canada during Black History Month. Information will be available on the CLC’s Facebook page.

In the meantime, be a part of our work by signing our petition today for a just, equitable and disaster-proof pandemic response and recovery plan.

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“Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with Muslim communities across the country in marking the fourth anniversary of this tragic event,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We are calling for this national day of remembrance to honour the lives of the victims of this tragedy and to demonstrate a commitment towards confronting Islamophobia.”

Far-right extremism and populism continue to rise rapidly in Canada, and Islamophobia is a central and fueling feature of their rhetoric. As the CLC’s 2019 report on confronting Islamophobia in the workplace showed, numerous right-wing actors have effectively utilized fear and demonization of Muslims and Islam as a means of channeling various economic and social grievances.

It is vile hatred such as this, and the ongoing and sustained vilification of Muslims that led to the horrific attacks such as the one that took place at Quebec City’s Islamic Cultural Centre, as well as the fatal stabbing of a volunteer caretaker at a Toronto mosque in September of 2020.

“It is our collective responsibility to counter Islamophobia and hatred,” said Yussuff. “It is more important than ever to work together and show that there is no place for Islamophobia in our workplaces, nor in the communities in which we live.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated how critical it is for workers to come together for the greater good and ensure the safety and well-being of all Canadians, regardless of religion, ability, race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality. This need for unity extends to our shared obligation to counter hatred, xenophobia and Islamophobia in our communities.

The CLC will be hosting a special webinar “Countering Islamophobia: how to be an ally” on Friday, January 29, 2021 at 1:00 pm EST. Join the webinar.

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“This decision underscores the message that a worker is a worker,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “This ruling sends a clear message to employers that they can’t skirt around workers’ rights by using legalese to pretend they are ‘independent operators’ instead of employees.”

The Supreme Court ruling reaffirms a ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeal that Uber drivers may be subject to the Ontario Employment Standards Act. With this ruling, a class-action suit against Uber can proceed.

“There is an imbalance of power in organizations like Uber, with precarious workers fighting for better job conditions against a behemoth enterprise hiding behind complex international legal loopholes,” said Yussuff. “Given this ruling, provincial governments have a responsibility to examine the misclassification of employees and protect all gig economy workers.”

Canada’s unions have been raising the alarm about the rise of the gig economy and precarious work for years and will continue to fight for workers in these jobs.

To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Supreme Court ruling on Uber underscores workers’ rights appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The fight against anti-Black racism and police brutality is based in the long, despicable history of slavery, oppression and colonization of Indigenous communities and Black people in North America. The impact of which continues to be felt today.

There is no reason that Black people in Canada should die at the hands of our police services. Yet the deaths of Black Canadians, Abdirahman Abdi, Bony Jean-Pierre, D’Andre Campbell and most recently under investigation, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, demonstrate that anti-Black racism continues to be a leading cause for the loss of Black lives.

“Anti-Black racism is a destructive force in our society afflicting families and communities,” said Hassan Yussuff, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) president. “Canada’s unions are committed to fighting all forms of discrimination and are urgently calling for accountability and systemic change.”

It’s important to highlight the severe lack of mental health supports, the lack of access to prescription medication and poor working conditions facing many workers who are often Black and racialized. Research clearly shows that Black communities have diminished health outcomes compared to the broader population as a result of historic neglect on the part of our system. This is playing out in this current pandemic, with early indications of a disproportionate impact on Black, Indigenous and other racialized communities.

“It’s time to hold some very uncomfortable conversations and reflect on the policy decisions and choices that have led us here,” continued Yussuff. “The whole country is looking to our government for leadership and immediate action that will lead to real and meaningful changes in the way Black communities are treated.”

The CLC is committed to raising awareness on the role of Canada’s labour movement to combat anti-Black racism, including providing educational opportunities to union members, as well as to the broader public, and publicly advocating for accountability and systemic change at the policy level.

For further reading related to anti-Black racism in Canada:

Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

The Skin We’re In by Desmond Cole

BlackLife: Post-BLM and the Struggle for Freedom by Rinaldo Walcott and Idil Abdillahi

There’s Something In The Water by Ingrid R. G. Waldron

Until We Are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter in Canada edited by Rodney Diverlus, Sandy Hudson, and Syrus Marcus Ware

Find more resources here.

The post Anti-Black racism runs deep but so does our commitment towards combatting it appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The economic fallout of COVID-19 is stark – and women are feeling the brunt of it.

Over 1.5 million women lost jobs over March and April, according to Statistics Canada. That’s a 17% drop in employment levels since February. Even with workplaces and services beginning to reopen, families will struggle to return to work without adequate child care in place.

Advocates, employers and policymakers alike fear that the burden of care will fall on women.

With Canadian women typically contributing about 40% of household income, there can be no full economic recovery without what economist Armine Yalnizyan has dubbed a “she-covery”.

Child care is key to making that possible.

It’s become clear that child care is a vital part of social infrastructure. Without child care, workers in women-dominated sectors that keep us healthy, safe and fed could not keep operating. This is why we saw several jurisdictions move quickly to make child care available to essential workers as a central component of their response efforts.

But that temporary solution is a far cry from what’s actually needed to address the gaping holes in a severely underfunded and fragmented system. It’s a system in which child care costs far too much for many families, and even when affordable, is highly competitive – sometimes with three or more children to every one licenced space.

As we begin to shape the new normal, child care must be at the heart of the post-COVID economy. Child care encourages participation in the labour market and is also an important source of employment for women – an economic driver in and of itself.

Investments in the care economy will largely pay for themselves as middle class families engage in greater labour-market participation, higher productivity, rising incomes, and increased tax revenue.

The federal government has the opportunity to spearhead a comprehensive pan-Canadian effort to build back better in the child care sector. Such a sector would ensure children have access to safe early learning and care and that parents are able to return to the paid labour force with relatively little worry.

In the short-term, the government will have to work with the provinces and territories to provide immediate funds to stabilize existing child care infrastructure.

The federal government has already committed to establishing a Federal Child Care Secretariat in order to help strengthen Canada’s social infrastructure.

The Secretariat will play a fundamental role in the reconstruction process, which will require long-term commitment and teamwork.

The Secretariat will also need to develop a workforce strategy to raise the quality of early learning in child care, improve working conditions for early childhood educators and oversee the expansion of the system.

Through collaboration, creativity and trust, we can take meaningful steps forward to ensure a robust economic recovery for all.

Hassan Yussuff is the president of the Canadian Labour Congress. Follow him on Twitter @Hassan_Yussuff
Goldy Hyder is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canada Business Council

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The impacts of the coronavirus are being felt differently across communities, hitting certain groups particularly hard. For instance, people working in precarious jobs are often racialized and many are women. As essential workers, they are at greater risk of contracting the virus, or infecting others in their communities.

“Anytime governments rush to address a crisis like the one we are facing, they must take adequate time to ensure that human rights are protected and upheld,” said Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress. “They must ensure that systemic barriers and discrimination aren’t getting in the way of supporting the most vulnerable. This requires a deliberate effort to consult with experts and with communities themselves.”

The Canadian Labour Congress joins other human rights advocates and organizations in calling for the establishment of independent oversight committees to ensure human rights obligations are met during this unprecedented time.

“As governments are quickly realizing, there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to addressing a public health and economic crisis of this magnitude,” said Yussuff. “Governments have a duty to take into consideration the consequences of actions taken, or of inaction.”

In order to be effective, independent committees must have broad representation from stakeholder communities and hold official advisory status to government bodies established to coordinate and implement COVID-19 response.

The committees must be mandated to identify any measures needed to strengthen human rights protection in COVID-19 response strategies; monitor for violations; provide information and recommendations to governments; and provide public updates.

“In times of crisis, governments have a responsibility to protect the most marginalized,” said Yussuff. “Human rights must not be an afterthought.”

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While many us are making sure that we #stayathome, we still need to be aware of the threat of homophobic and transphobic violence that persists online, at home, and for those on the front lines.

“This year, we are taking action online to take a stand, joining people around the world for a #VirtualDayofPink,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Solidarity is a key strength of our union movement. The #VirtualDayofPink is an opportunity for leaders in the trade union movement, in business and government, as well as everyday people, to stand together against homophobia and transphobia everywhere and in all of its forms.”

Canada’s unions have a role to play in educating and empowering our members so that all workplaces are welcoming and inclusive for all. In the context of COVID-19, our federal government needs to step up to ensure that 2SLGBTQI people are not left behind during and after this pandemic.

Around the world, 2SLGBTQI communities face disproportionately high levels of harassment and violence.

According to research from EGALE Canada, “Approximately 47 per cent of LGB workers (in Canada) have experienced workplace harassment and/or violence based on their sexual attraction (orientation), while approximately 90 per cent of transgender and gender variant employees report experiencing workplace harassment and/or violence stemming from their gender identity and expression.”

“Everyone has a role to play to better protect the rights of 2SLGBTQI people and ensure that they have the support they need in our workplaces, in our unions and in our communities,” said Rousseau “Our federal government must lead efforts with a dedicated gender-based plus analysis of the pandemic’s impacts, and by ensuring that additional emergency funds are available to support 2SLGBTQI organizations and communities to survive this crisis.”

You can mark the International Day of Pink right by:

1. Tagging your union and snapping a photo of you in pink to share online with the hashtag #VirtualDayofPink.
2. Downloading the CLC’s newest resource: Workers in Transition and learn how to be a Trans ally in your workplace today.
3. Read, share and support the demands of over 100 2SLGBTQI organizations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learning more about International Day of Pink and how you can join #VirtualDayofPink here.

The post Canada’s unions join #VirtualDayofPink with a renewed call for solidarity against homophobia and transphobia appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“The Bank of Canada has reduced its lending rate to historically low levels and that means it’s cheaper for financial institutions to borrow money,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “Passing those saving on to help struggling families weather this storm is the right thing to do.”

The CLC is calling on all financial institutions to reducing interest rates on all purchases made after March 15th, and all balances carried forward from prior to that date, for the duration of the COVID-19 health crisis.

“This is a defining moment in our country’s history, and I am urging CEOs to step up and take action to support the common good,” said Yussuff.

The CLC is collecting signatures to put more pressure on the banks and credit card companies to respond to this call, you can sign on here.

A letter has also been sent from CLC to the CEOs of financial institutions asking them to take steps to reduce the debt families are facing.

The post Credit card relief now appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“It takes 16 months for women’s median earnings to catch up to what men make in twelve. We mark Equal Pay Day to draw attention to the continued realities of wage discrimination and gender inequality in our country,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “This year we must also recognize the gendered impact the COVID-19 crisis will have. The pandemic has exposed the lack of concrete protections for workers, especially for workers in sectors where women are often employed, and for women who work in low-wage and precarious jobs.”

The pandemic has demonstrated how important the work traditionally performed by women is to the maintenance of healthy and safe communities. Many undervalued workers have now been deemed essential, but these workers are still underpaid. Their work is often invisible and unrecognized, marked with poor working conditions, exposure to violence and harassment and other health and safety risks, limited job security and access to benefits, including paid sick leave.

“These workers are putting themselves and their families at risk so the rest of us can stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Clarke Walker. “Not only do these workers deserve higher wages, they should have predictable hours and job security, paid sick days and emergency leave, access to the equipment to do their job safely, support to meet their child care needs, and access to Employment Insurance and health benefits.”
“It’s time to usher in a new normal for our most vulnerable—and valuable—workers.”

According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 13 percent of all working women in Canada are at risk of layoff, compared to nine percent of working men. Low-wage workers, who are disproportionately women, are most at risk.

Canada’s unions say that this is a time for bold, feminist action to recognize the value of women’s work and to end wage discrimination. Canada must make women’s economic justice a priority in the COVID-19 response and in the plan for recovery.

“This crisis has exposed who falls through the gaps in our system. The government has taken an important step with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, but much more needs to be done to ensure that we leave no one behind as we respond to COVID-19. Every level of government must apply a gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) to how it’s responding to this crisis,” said Clarke Walker.

Join the cross-country Equal Pay Day Virtual Rally on April 4 at 1:00 p.m. by registering here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/9119266283687928587

To learn more about Equal Pay Day, go to the Ontario Equal Pay Coalition website.

Click to access the CLC COVID-19 Resource Centre.

The post Equal Pay Day: Recognizing the Value of Women’s Work appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“We know some steps the federal government can take right now to be a global leader in gender equality—if they are bold enough,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress.

In 1995, 189 governments, including Canada’s, signed on to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which set out a clear roadmap to achieve gender equality and the human rights of women. 

“Despite recent progress, there is still so much work to do. At the current rate, women will have to wait 164 more years before Canada closes the economic gender gap,” added Clarke Walker.

This year, the Generation Equality Forum will mark the 25^th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. With gatherings in Mexico and France, this forum will engage women’s rights activists, governments and other stakeholders in a global public conversation. Together, these groups will take stock of progress and set an agenda of concrete action to realize gender equality before 2030. 

The Platform for Action committed governments to taking strategic, bold action in 12 critical areas: poverty, education and training, health, violence, armed conflict, economy, power and decision-making, institutional mechanisms, human rights, media, environment and the girl child.  

“The number one thing our federal government can do immediately is to restore core funding to women’s rights organizations and feminist movements,” said Clarke Walker. “For far too long, these organizations have struggled for necessary resources to fund their important, and often life-saving, work. Funding that covers core operational costs can build strong, independent women’s movements that drive change.”

Canada’s unions are committed to building strong, vibrant feminist movements. Working together, we can be a powerful force for women’s economic justice.

The Canadian Labour Congress is inviting Canadians to mark International Women’s Day by taking the following actions:

• Write to the Minister of Status of Women and the Prime Minister and ask them to demonstrate real commitment to women’s equality and economic justice.
• Read “Unfinished Business”, a civil society report on Canada’s progress in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action.
• Share the top 20 actions the government can take in 2020 to show leadership on women’s rights and gender equality.

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Statistics show workers of colour are more likely to be employed in precarious, low-wage jobs with no benefits. These workers also have higher unemployment rates. In fact, the unemployment rate of Black women is almost double that of non-racialized women. Black men earn 66 cents for every dollar a non-racialized man earns, and Black women only 56 cents per dollar.

One important way to address these disparities is to strengthen the federal Employment Equity Act, and restore mandatory compliance with the Act for federal contractors.

“Strengthening the Employment Equity Act is one step towards fairness for racialized workers,” said Canadian Labour Congress Vice-President Larry Rousseau. “In our country’s history we have seen men and women of colour work to support each other, even when discriminatory laws made it that much more difficult. We owe it to them to correct such inequality moving forward.”

From Desmond Davis and the other founders of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters to his daughter, Janice Gairey, former Human Rights Director at the Ontario Federation of Labour. From Carrie Best, who founded her own newspaper and worked to publicize the case of Viola Desmond, to her son Cal Best, former President of the Civil Service Association of Canada.

“These workers and activists and many, many more have paved the way and ensured the participation of racialized workers who follow in their footsteps,” said Rousseau. “Now we will pave the way for future workers.”

For Black History Month, the Canadian Labour Congress will be doing interviews with Black union leaders, please check our Facebook page for more information.

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During the federal election campaign, a few parties campaigned on anti-immigrant sentiment and against multiculturalism. Yet all the major political parties pledged to do more to address racism and discrimination in Canada.

“Canadians can be proud that we collectively rejected the right-wing populism that is gripping much of the Western world,” said CLC Vice-President Larry Rousseau. 

“This new minority government must now implement lasting and impactful policies to combat racism and hate that nevertheless continue to exist. Every effort should be made to tear down barriers to success that far too many people face due to their race, ethnicity, religion, or any other identifiable characteristic.”

These were the key commitments made by the various political parties:

• Doubling funding of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy;
• Increasing supports for members of racialized communities seeking good, stable employment;
• Improving data collection around hate crimes;
• Convening a national working group to counter online hate and implementing stricter regulations against platforms that fail to remove hate speech in a timely manner;
• Working with local governments to ensure hate crime units exist in every major city;
• Mandatory training on unconscious bias and cultural competency for judges; and
• Potential civil remedies for victims of hate speech.

Canada’s unions further call on all provinces and municipalities to consult local communities in the implementation and operation of anti-racism directorates or secretariats, all of which should include clear mandates and defined deliverables to combat systemic racism.

“Far too often, discrimination can hold people back in a number of ways, including in employment and overall civic engagement,” said Rousseau. “Communities of colour need concrete action and demonstrated results when it comes to inclusion. With consensus across party lines, we believe now is the time for Ottawa to act. Canadians are clearly ready for this.”

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“Gender Equality Week was created to celebrate recent gains while reflecting on the work that needs to be done to improve gender equality and women’s rights across Canada,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “With a federal election underway, we are asking political leaders to take this opportunity to prove their commitment to women’s rights and gender equality.”

Gender Equality Week runs from September 22 to 28, 2019 and was first introduced by the federal government in 2018 through Bill C-309, the Gender Equality Act. This year’s theme is #EveryoneBenefits and is inspired by the vision of a gender equal society and the benefits of advancing gender equality to women, men and people of all gender identities.

“On election day, voters will have the chance to reject the politics of division by voting for a party that stands firmly for gender equality and women’s rights,” said Clarke Walker. “We hope to make that choice much easier by asking candidates to distinguish themselves through concrete platform commitments.” 

The CLC’s plan for “A Fair Canada for Everyone” asks political parties to commit to taking action on five key priorities for working people and their families – actions that can make a real difference for women and help promote gender equality.

Women deserve good jobs, liveable wages and fair working conditions.

Unions are calling for action on pay and employment equity, access to universal, affordable child care and a federal task force on care work and care jobs.

Women deserve opportunities to learn and advance their careers. They deserve adequate support to balance work, family and personal time.

Women should not face barriers in accessing medication.

Many women do not have workplace benefits and face difficult choices when they or a loved one requires medication they cannot afford. Everyone in Canada deserves a universal, single-payer, public prescription drug plan that would guarantee pharmacare for all.

Women deserve retirement security.

Thanks to the persistent gender pay gap, senior women are among Canada’s poorest populations. After a lifetime of hard work (whether paid or unpaid), no one should have to struggle to make ends meet. Action on retirement security means improved Old Age Security benefits and a reformed Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Women must be at the centre of climate action.

The climate crisis will have a disproportionate impact on women and marginalized populations. Smart investments in a clean future will put people at the centre of climate action. Investments in renewable energy, clean technology and green manufacturing can provide a source of good, green jobs for women. Climate action can also include investments in social infrastructure to help create and support good jobs and resilient communities.

Women deserve a government focused on equity and inclusion.

Canadians need a government committed to challenging hate and intolerance in all its forms. They need a government ready to improve our immigration and refugee policies, track and report on hate groups, and commit to strengthening Canada’s action plan against racism.

They also need an action plan to implement the recommendations of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

“The CLC’s election campaign outlines a plan that would promote gender equality and make a real difference in the lives of women and their families,” said Clarke Walker. “Everyone benefits if we unite together to challenge racism, welcome refugees and support real reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. This election we are demanding fairness.”

This Gender Equality Week, unions are calling on voters to attend local election town halls and debates to ask candidates what their party is prepared to do to promote gender equality and a fairer Canada for everyone.

CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker will be hosting a Facebook Live event on Wednesday, September 25 at noon EST featuring a conversation about what is at stake for gender equality in the federal election.

Voters can sign up for real-time election updates from the CLC as the campaign progresses.

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Not only are they shocking and disturbing, they are deeply hurtful to those of us who have faced racism and discrimination firsthand. It brings to the forefront the injustices committed against people of colour and Indigenous communities in this country for over 150 years.

As a labour leader, I have had to work with whatever government is in power. I have seen the efforts of this particular government in addressing anti-Black racism, Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination. While its record hasn’t been perfect, so much has been achieved even though there is clearly more work to do.

It’s now up to the Prime Minister to rebuild Canadians’ trust in him again by continuing to take actions that show the sincerity behind his regret and remorse. Should he be re-elected, his government must commit to a meaningful strategy for dismantling systemic discrimination that keeps far too many people of colour from succeeding in our society.

For the rest of us, it’s critical that now, more than ever, we vote for the Canada we want.

Please learn about what Canada’s unions are calling for in this election, particularly around the issues of equity and inclusion.

Thank you.

Hassan Yussuff
Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of Canada’s unions

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Fair pay means that the work women and men do is equally respected and valued. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for many workers in Canada, where there is still a big gap between what women and men earn. Thanks to the labour movement, this pay gap is already much less for women with unions, but income equality for all working women is the ultimate goal.

For decades, the labour movement and women’s organizations have pushed for improvements to the federal pay equity system, calling for a shift from a complaints-based approach toward proactive legislation.  This was a key demand of the Canadian Women’s March 2000, when thousands of women, trade unions and national women’s organizations mobilized for a comprehensive strategy to end poverty and violence against women.

In 2001, a federal Pay Equity Task Force was appointed, and after an extensive and exhaustive process, made over a hundred important recommendations to address the gender wage gap in Canada. Their 2004 report also recognized that wage discrimination exists for people with disabilities, Indigenous workers and racialized workers.

Canada’s unions have been hard at work to ensure the Task Force recommendations are put in place. They condemned the current Liberal government’s decision to delay any action on pay equity until 2018, despite the lofty campaign promises and publicly stating that having a gender wage gap in Canada today is unacceptable. After two years in power, they have also failed to eliminate the Conservative’s Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act, legislation takes away the right of women federal public servants to equal pay for work of equal value.

Only two provinces – Ontario and Quebec – have proactive pay equity laws covering both public and private sector workers. Under these laws, employers must take active steps to identify and eliminate wage discrimination. Several provinces have no pay equity legislation at all. Unions push for proactive pay equity laws in all jurisdictions to make sure that workers in both the public and private sectors have their rights respected.

Collective bargaining and pay equity measures significantly reduce the wage gap for women. That’s because together, women and their unions negotiate pay that reflects their skills, education and responsibilities. And that fair pay puts more into women’s pockets to spend on their families and in their communities.

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Stanley Moore and Dale Akerstrom were both employees of the federal government. Moore was a Foreign Service Officer, employed by the Department of External Affairs, while Akerstrom was working for the Canadian Employment and Immigration Commission.

In 1991, Moore was posted to the Canadian Embassy in Indonesia. When he applied for spousal benefits related to the move for his partner, Pierre Soucy, he was denied on the grounds that Soucy was not considered a spouse because he was the same gender as Moore.

In 1992, Akerstrom applied to change his benefit status from single to family to make his partner, Alexander Dias, his beneficiary for death benefits and his spouse under the Public Service Health Care Plan. He was denied because, under the terms of the plans, spouse was defined as a person of the opposite gender.

Both men filed complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, which ruled in their favour, based on a 1992 ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeal (in the case of Haig v. Canada) that deemed discrimination based on sexual orientation to be prohibited under section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The ruling stated it was “crystal clear that the law is that denial of the extension of employment benefits to a same-sex partner which would otherwise be extended to opposite-sex common-law partners is discrimination on the prohibited ground of sexual orientation.” The federal government was found to have discriminated against Moore and Akerstrom, was ordered to stop using the definition of spouse and to compensate both men.

In another case, Egan v. Canada, the Supreme Court unanimously endorsed a lower court’s finding that sexual orientation is a prohibited ground of discrimination under s. 15 of the Charter.

The federal government was out of options. In May of 1996, legislation was passed to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act by including “sexual orientation” to its list of prohibited grounds of discrimination. That change came into force on July 15, giving all federal government workers the same rights to benefits.

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