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

The post There is no economic recovery without adequate child care appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The recommendation that people stay in their homes, along with added financial pressure and stress, can elevate the risk of violence and further entrenches isolation, which increases opportunities for abusers to exert power and control.

Women’s shelters and transition houses across the country are doing their best to remain open for those fleeing domestic violence, despite the current challenges. Federal and provincial governments have announced some new spending to support these necessary services during this critical time.

We all have a role to play.

How to help someone you know or those suffering in your community

What should you do if you are concerned about a co-worker, friend or family member that you believe is experiencing abuse?

• Remind them that you care about their health and well-being.
• Encourage them to reach out to their local shelter to get support and to develop a safety plan.
• Keep the lines of communication open to reduce isolation.
• Union representatives who have been assisting members with workplace safety planning can work with them and a shelter worker to adapt it to the new context.

How can you help in your community?

• Consider donating to local shelters so they can continue to offer services during this crisis. Contact your local organization to find out how you can help.

What to do if you need help

• Reach out to any women’s shelter or helpline, which will provide information, support and referrals to other services. You do not need to seek shelter to get help.
• Even if leaving does not feel like an option, shelter workers can provide assistance with developing a safety plan, offer a listening ear and help you better understand your situation.
• If you belong to a union, create or adapt a workplace safety plan with your union representative. If you don’t belong to one, work with your employer and a shelter worker.
• If you are in immediate danger, call 911. You do not need to tell the 911 operator why you are calling if you are afraid of your partner’s reaction. Even if you just say “I would like to order a pizza”, police will come to your home.

Useful links

Sheltersafe provides information and can help identify a shelter in your community. Crisis and distress lines are available in most provinces and territories, and 211 can identify local sources of support in many communities.

Remember, employers must ensure that Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) remain accessible during the pandemic. These may be useful for those experiencing violence right now.

The post Home is not safe for everyone: Domestic violence during a pandemic appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“We can’t take abortion rights in Canada for granted. We are not immune to the attitudes and tactics at play south of the border. There is an alarming and well-funded effort by anti-choice groups in Canada to elect politicians who support restrictions on reproductive health services and rights,” said Hassan Yussuff, CLC President. “When Conservative politicians attend anti-choice rallies and express their desire to make abortion ‘unthinkable’ it’s time to take a clear stand. We will resist any attempt to take us backwards.”

Canada’s unions have a deep and longstanding commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Unions and labour activists joined the call to decriminalize birth control and abortion in the 60s and 70s. In its 1968 submission to the Royal Commission on the Status of Women, the CLC observed that “if a woman in the pursuit of her career wishes to arrange the timing of her pregnancies in a manner consistent with the demands of her occupation, to limit the size of her family, or, indeed, to have no children at all, then this should be a matter for her discretion”.

Since the 1988 Morgentaler decision, the labour movement has worked with feminist organizations and other allies to resist attempts to introduce new restrictions to abortion rights and access. In May 2008, the CLC awarded Dr. Henry Morgentaler with its highest honour, the Award for Outstanding Service to Humanity, for his work promoting health and equality for women.

Canada’s unions have long called for public coverage of medical procedures and medication to allow people to decide whether and when to have children, promote maternal health, affirm their gender identity and meet other sexual and reproductive health care needs. They have also called for better access to abortion services in regions where it remains difficult to obtain sexual and reproductive health care. And unions continue to support comprehensive sexuality education, access to health care for trans people, and protections for pregnant people in unsafe working conditions.

“The labour movement’s support for reproductive justice includes our fight for decent work, for good jobs, for maternity and parental leaves, and for child care for all families,” said Marie Clarke Walker, CLC Secretary-Treasurer. “Economic justice and reproductive health and rights are linked, and are fundamental to gender equality.”

Access to abortion services remains a problem, especially in rural, remote and Indigenous communities, for young people, for those with precarious immigration status or who don’t have the means to travel. In some provinces, like New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island such services are virtually non-existent on account of provincial policies that restrict access or impose limits on funding. The lack of access to sexual and reproductive health care and rights has disproportionate impacts on people who experience various forms of marginalization, such as Indigenous women, Black and racialized women, women with disabilities, trans and non-binary folk, immigrant, migrant and refugee women.

“Canada’s unions will not tolerate any attempt to roll back abortion rights. We will keep calling on governments to address gaps and barriers to access, to ensure that everyone is equally able to access sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion,” said Yussuff.

The post Unions vow to protect reproductive rights as fundamental rights appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Today, in 2019, the numbers are appalling,” says Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress, “Women overall are making 32 percent less than men, with Indigenous women and women with disabilities facing the steepest gender pay gaps making between 45 and 56 percent less.”

This Equal Pay Day, under the banner of the #DoneWaiting campaign, Canada’s unions are calling for the timely and effective implementation of Canada’s new pay equity legislation.

This year is especially important, as this is the first Equal Pay Day since the introduction of federal pay equity legislation in December 2018.

“Fourteen years after the Pay Equity Task Force report, pay equity finally became the law,” said Marie Clarke Walker. “However, our wait is not yet over. Since the new law does not take effect until regulations are developed, it could be another few years before working women see any real difference in our paycheques.”

In addition, trade unions and pay equity experts have identified a number of concerns with the bill that did not get fixed before it passed. Therefore, the Canadian Labour Congress is calling on the federal government to:

• Work with unions and employers to develop pay equity regulations in a timely fashion;
• Ensure the regulations close any loopholes that would allow an employer to avoid meeting their obligations;
• Introduce pay transparency measures, including an obligation to file pay equity plans as well as details about compensation for workers in all equity-seeking groups; and
• Ensure the office of the Pay Equity Commissioner has enough funding to implement the legislation and hold employers accountable.

The CLC encourages all workers to write to their Member of Parliament today and join the call for the full implementation of pay equity legislation from coast to coast.

The CLC also supports calls from the Equal Pay Coalition of Ontario and the Ontario Federation of Labour to mount a provincial campaign calling on Members of Provincial Parliament to implement the 2018 Pay Transparency Act. You can learn more about this campaign here.

The post Canada’s unions mark Equal Pay Day with a call for pay equity implementation now appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

#DoneWaiting is a campaign for women’s economic justice. Launched one year ago, the campaign began with a call for federal government action to end sexual harassment and violence, fix the child care crisis, and end wage discrimination.

After months of digital actions and lobbying, we had a major victory in December of 2018: pay equity became the law in Canada. The new Pay Equity Act requires all federally-regulated employers to create proactive pay equity plans and will introduce a new federal Pay Equity Commissioner.

“This is an historic moment for women in Canada”, said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the CLC, “There’s still work to do on the regulations before the Act comes into force, but the Act’s adoption is a testament to what can be achieved when we are united in our fight for women’s economic justice.”

We’ve made progress toward an end to sexual harassment and violence. Seven provinces, as well as the federal government, have introduced paid domestic violence leave, and new federal occupational health and safety legislation offers better protections for workers who experience violence and harassment at work.

“We’ve seen that our messages are being heard and we are making progress. Let’s celebrate how far we’ve come. Also remember: we’re not done yet.” said Clarke Walker.

With a federal election on the horizon, Canada’s unions are expanding the conversation about women’s economic justice by looking more closely at the issue of working life and workplace culture. We want women’s voices at the centre as we consider our next calls to action. So we are asking women to share their stories about #BeingAWomanAtWork. Even though study after study shows that more women in the workforce will help grow the economy and improve everyone’s lives, we know that the working world isn’t working for women.

Too many women still face significant barriers to success at work. Many have trouble finding a good job or advancing at their workplace, and many more struggle with low-wage, precarious work.

“It’s time for leadership to reduce barriers for women’s labour force participation” said Clarke Walker, “There is a role for our federal government, employers, and unions to play. We must work together and ensure that the future of women and work means good jobs and fair treatment for all, especially for the most marginalized.”

Everyone has a story. Speak up now and help us keep up the pressure for change in 2019.

The post International Women’s Day: #DoneWaiting for equality in the workplace appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Each year, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and Families of Sisters in Spirit (FSIS) organize vigils to remember the missing and murdered indigenous women in this country. Family members, Indigenous community members, and concerned citizens gather together to stand together in solidarity, raise awareness, demand action, and provide support to those who have lost love ones.

Between 1980 and 2012, the RCMP reported close to 1,200 cases of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada (although many working on the front lines believe the number is much higher). While they make up only 4% of Canada’s female population, Indigenous women and girls make up over 16% of female homicides and 11% of missing women.

What began with eleven vigils in 2006 has grown to over 200 vigils today, in communities across Canada, including a vigil on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

In response to calls from Indigenous families, communities and organizations, including unions and the Canadian Labour Congress, the Government of Canada launched an independent National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in September 2016.

In response, the CLC stated:

“We must ensure the inquiry addresses the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, such as racism, sexism and misogyny so that it truly does result in justice and meaningful change.

Canada’s unions will stand in solidarity with Indigenous women, girls and their communities both as the inquiry is underway and beyond to help ensure our country truly addresses the root causes of violence against Indigenous women.

We will also continue to urge the government to implement strategies that include clean water, affordable housing, accessible education and poverty reduction in Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities.”
(news release, 02-21-2017)

NWAC has created a quarterly report card about the inquiry to encourage transparency and to measure its progress.

The post Standing in solidarity for our missing sisters appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

In 1981 after a 42-day strike, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) won postal workers across Canada 17 weeks of paid maternity leave. The concept of longer periods of paid maternity leave than was available through unemployment insurance benefits soon became mainstream and expanded across the country.

Paid maternity leave benefits – a guaranteed period for new mothers to be away from the workplace and then return to their job – had only been established a decade earlier. Before that, a new mother had to quit her job or return to work quickly if her family depended on her income.

Work leave for new mothers was first introduced in Canada when BC introduced the Maternity Protection Act of 1921. This legislation enabled women to take a limited leave of absence before and after giving birth and made it unlawful to dismiss women for these absences. She was also permitted thirty minutes twice a day to nurse her child while at work. Employers not abiding by the legislation were subject to hefty fines.

It does not sound very progressive, but at the time, it really was. It was the only legislation of its kind in Canada at that time, and for many years afterward.

In 1940, the Unemployment Insurance Act was introduced in Canada. It did not cover maternity leave in its early decades. Maternity leave, as we currently understand it, was first introduced in BC in 1966. Five years later, the federal government followed suit, amending the Canada Labour Code.

Under the 1971 provisions, mothers with at least 20 weeks of insurable earnings could claim up to 15 weeks of benefits through the Unemployment Insurance system. It was more than a touch controversial to cover expectant and new mothers under a program intended for the unemployed, and it represented a departure from provincially administered maternity leave to a federally regulated system, as we know it today.

At the beginning of the 1960s, just over 30% of women aged 20 to 30 participated in the Canadian labour force. By the end of the 1970s, the proportion of working women had doubled to just over 60%. Today, over 70% of mothers with children under five years of age are working.

Canada’s unions soon pushed for changes to make maternity leave more accessible, not only in legislation, but also by bargaining for better maternity leave for their members. They negotiated with employers for longer leave times with higher benefits that topped up the portion of the salary paid by UI benefits. Unions also won guarantees that women could return to the jobs they held before their maternity leave, as well as expanded parental leave for new fathers and leave for parents of newly adopted children.

In 1979, Quebec’s Common Front, representing government, education and health workers negotiated 20 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, 10 weeks leave when parents adopted a child, and five days of paternity leave.

But the 1981 strike by postal workers, lead by the CUPW, proved to be the tipping point. The trend was clear: workers and their unions were demanding expanded maternity benefits and they were prepared to strike in order to get them. The following year, federal clerks, members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), and Bell telephone workers, members of the Communications Workers of Canada (CWC), negotiated paid maternity leave.

Unions didn’t stop at maternity leave. Adoption leave, paternity leave, and parental leave – available to either parent – were routinely negotiated with employers.  In response, the federal government has continually improved the maternity and parental benefits offered through its employment insurance program.

Today, unions continue to advocate for improved access to parental benefits through expanded access to employment insurance benefits overall and through better access to quality and affordable childcare for all workers.  Access to childcare and early childhood education provide economic benefits beyond families with young children. Allowing parents to return to the workforce and to participate fully boosts productivity and delivers proven economic benefits overall.

The post Canadian postal workers go on strike for maternity leave – and win big! appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Earlier in June, the Commission was only granted a six-month extension in response to its request to add an additional two years to their mandate.

“We must avoid making the same mistakes of the past and learn from our history,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “This means we must centre the voices of Indigenous communities in order to fully confront the ‘destructive legacies of colonization’, as described by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”

The Commissioners called for an extension in response to the needs expressed by Indigenous communities, survivors and family members of those who are missing or have been murdered.

“If the process, the method, the solutions and the advocacy is not steered by those who are impacted, we are reinforcing the very colonial tactics that brought us here today with respect to our relationship with Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples,” said Yussuff.

The extension balances the need to urgently address violence against Indigenous women and girls with the necessity of ensuring thorough and comprehensive recommendations in the final report. The two-year extension would allow for increased community participation, as well as specific consideration of LGBTQ and two-spirit people.

For Canada’s unions, recognizing National Indigenous Peoples Day is about recognizing the needs of Indigenous people and standing in solidarity with their social, economic, and political needs. The government has a responsibility to ensure that the public inquiry adequately meets the objectives set out in the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

The post Canada’s unions mark National Indigenous Peoples Day by calling for two-year extension of MMIW public inquiry appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The CLC’s #donewaiting campaign outlines concrete ways the federal government can remove three key barriers to women’s economic justice: wage discrimination, sexual harassment and violence and the child care crisis.

“Women in Canada want equal pay for work of equal value. We want to be able to go to work feeling safe and secure. And we want to be able to go to work knowing our kids are safe and well cared for,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker.

“Our campaign will build on mounting public pressure for decision makers in Canada and around the world to move beyond rhetoric to take action that will make feminist rhetoric a feminist reality,” she added.

The #donewaiting campaign highlights how different women experience these barriers differently.

“We know that Indigenous women, racialized women, and women with disabilities face higher rates of violence and barriers to support, wider wage gaps, and have a harder time finding and paying for the child care they need to be able to work or study,” said Clarke Walker.

The campaign invites people to write to their Member of Parliament to take action, and to share the campaign on social media.

CLC President Hassan Yussuff said that although the campaign is being launched in time for International Women’s Day, it will continue through until the next federal election.

“This campaign is about shaping an agenda for women’s economic justice in the 2019 federal election,” he said.

The post Women in Canada are #donewaiting for economic justice appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.