It’s time for action on the real economic challenges impacting workers and their families from coast to coast to coast.

“Gender equality is not a side issue; it is central to Canada’s economic security. A resilient care economy, strong public services, and decent union jobs are strategic assets that strengthen communities and industries alike,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC.  “Workers want politicians who will stand up for them. The Carney government needs to fight for workers, not side with big business.”

Right now, working women are being squeezed from every direction. Food prices are up, rent and mortgages are rising, child care spaces are still hard to come by in many communities, and public health care is strained. In 2025, 40% of women reported it was difficult or very difficult to meet financial needs.

The impacts of the affordability crisis are especially severe for Indigenous, Black, racialized, newcomer, young, 2SLGBTQI+ women, and women with disabilities. These workers are overrepresented in low-wage, precarious, and care-sector jobs, the very sectors most vulnerable to cuts, privatization, and underfunding.

But when governments tighten budgets, it is women who absorb the impact: through unpaid care, reduced hours, lost services, and increased exposure to violence. Economic downturns do not affect everyone equally: research shows that periods of instability are linked to increases in domestic and gender-based violence. When wages stagnate and services are cut, women and gender diverse people’s safety and independence are put at risk.

Unfortunately, this government’s response to the trade war has largely focused on tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and corporate handouts. As we know, siding with big corporations will only deepen gender inequities and economic disparities.

“No trade deal is better than a bad deal, especially one that fails to centre workers, jobs, communities and Canadian industries,” said Bruske. “Investments in women’s economic justice are critical to strengthening Canada’s economic security.”

This means concrete action: enforcing pay equity, eliminating gender-based violence in the world of work, and making sustained investments in Canada’s care economy at the scale to meet the moment and end the workforce crisis. 

“Women and gender diverse workers are leading the fight for gender justice at work and decent, safe jobs in every sector of Canada’s economy,” said Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice President of the CLC. “Through our unions, at the bargaining table and in government, we’re pushing for stronger protections and better policies to make our voices heard.”

For decades, unionized women have led the push to make gender justice a core labour priority by fighting for pharmacare, affordable child care, pay equity, gun control, expanded parental leave, and paid domestic violence leave.  

“When we rise up together, we make real change. Women won’t accept the status quo. We’re fighting for a more feminist and equitable future for our workplaces, communities, and our economy,” adds Vipond. 

This IWD, union women and gender diverse workers are Rising Up from coast to coast to coast, and demanding leadership from our federal government on the issues that matter to workers and their families:  

• Fighting back on indiscriminate tariffs that put Canadian jobs and communities at risk.
• Implementing the National Action Plan on Gender Based Violence, including the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work.
• Ending the workforce crisis in the care economy by ensuring the new Care Economy Workforce Alliance delivers concrete improvements to wages and working conditions across care sectors, as well as recommendations to meaningfully invest in both paid and unpaid care sectors. 

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Canada’s unions are marking 2025 gender equality week by rising with a bold vision for gender justice at the heart of our economy.

“Unions know thatthe economic resilience of our country, depends upon the labour of women and gender diverse workers, whether that is in the workplace, at home or in our communities,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Unfortunately, women, and in particular Indigenous, Black, racialized, newcomer, young, 2SLGBTQIA+, and women with disabilities, continue to bear the brunt of the affordability crisis.

This is why the CLC is urging this government to act now on gender inequities in our economy by: 

• Investing in the value of women’s work by adding an additional $20 million over three years to expedite the work of the Office of the Pay Equity Commissioner. This includes ensuring that this office has the resources necessary to support and enforce compliance, including regular independent public reviews and sustained funding for the development of the disaggregated data needed to support pay equity initiatives. 

• Providing sufficient and long-term core operational funding to women’s rights and equality-seeking organizations so they have the stability they need to continue to provide services and carry out vital advocacy and research, including an initial investment of $1 million for consultations on the development of a National Strategy for the Gender-Based Violence Workforce that addresses issues of precarious work, access to decent salaries, pensions, benefits, supports for workers, and retention and recruitment issues. 

• Investing in key social infrastructure to address the epidemic of gender-based violence, including fully funding the continuation of the 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence.

• Modernizing the Employment Equity Act with a commitment of $20 million over the next three years to establish:

• A dedicated Employment Equity Commissioner (similar to the Pay Equity Commissioner);

• Two new designated equity groups under the Act: Black people and 2SLGBTQIA+ people; and

• Improved data collection and disaggregation to support intersectional analyses and a better understanding of the distinct and nuanced challenges and barriers to employment faced by equity groups.

• Committing $30 million over the next three years to the operation of the Sectoral Table on the Care Economy to meaningfully respond to the gendered impacts of Canada’s care crisis.

“Any plan on the part of the government to strengthen our economy, which does not include investments in care and care work, will fall short of ensuring all workers, particularly women, are able to fully participate in the labour market,” said Siobhan Vipond, Executive Vice-President of the CLC and member of Canada’s inaugural sectoral table on the Care Economy.

“As this government prepares to unveil its first full budget this fall, Canada’s unions are putting our federal leaders on notice: it’s time to centre gender equity in our budgetary policy and ensure it is a key proponent of sustaining Canada’s economic growth,” added Vipond.

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Large corporations are worsening the affordability crisis for workers and their families, causing the cost of housing, groceries, and other necessities to skyrocket. This crisis hurts everyone, but it’s significantly more challenging for those who already have limited access to resources, including women and gender-diverse people. 

In Canada, sixty percent of minimum wageworkers are women, almost a third of women live in homes that are unaffordable, inadequately sized, or in disrepair,  and according to a 2023 Statistics Canada report, 21 percent of families with a female major income earner were food insecure versus 16% with a male major earner and food insecurity was highest among female lone parent families (41%).

Canadian workers reject the politics of hate and division peddled by conservatives. We know everyone is being squeezed, and we demand that each party get serious and commit to real solutions that pave the way for a better future. 

Take action for Gender Equality Week 2024! Join our Workers Together campaign and tell federal political leaders:

We demand a better deal that makes corporations pay their fair share so workers can finally get ahead.

By making wealthy corporations pay their due in taxes, we can reinvest in the things that keep our communities strong, like programs to make life more affordable, our care systems, and ensuring everyone has a place to call home.

We demand pharmacare: workers need a better deal that finally puts our needs first.

Overall, too many workers can’t afford medications due to corporate greed and conservative efforts to protect corporate profits. In particular, women are more likely than men not to fill their prescription drugs because of cost – whether or not they have drug insurance.

We demand a better deal that prioritizes care and care workers.

Women make up most of the paid and unpaid care economy, and jobs caring for children, older adults, and people with disabilities tend to be underpaid and precarious.  

Care workers look after our children, parents, and loved ones, yet conservative provincial and federal leaders prioritize cuts over supporting them. It’s no wonder there are worker shortages in health care, childcare, and other care sectors, and childcare is becoming harder to find.

We demand a better deal that prioritizes good jobs and a say in our future.

Extreme weather events are threatening our lives and livelihoods. Rising temperatures cause intense wildfires, water scarcity, droughts and displacement; it’s also projected to cause income losses for Canadians, especially low-income households. 

Climate change disproportionately impacts the cultures, traditions and economies of Indigenous peoples and the traditional roles of Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people in their communities. Extreme weather events have also been shown to increase the demand for services related to intimate partner violence.

It’s time to demand a deal for workers that puts us at the forefront, paving the way for a better future. Let’s work together and make our voices heard.

CLC Executive Vice-President, Siobhán Vipond: “Wage gaps are widening because of the unequal impacts of the affordability crisis, with little relief in sight. Women are over-represented in part-time and low-paying jobs, while women and gender-diverse people are more likely to be inadequately housed and food insecure. When the costs of basic necessities like food, housing and utilities go up, these longstanding inequalities are compounded. It’s time for the federal government to act.” CLC President, Bea Bruske: “Rising prices have led to skyrocketing profits for the wealthiest people and corporations, while everyone else is stuck footing the bill. Workers are fed up having to subsidize the lavish lifestyle of Canada’s multi-millionaires and billionaires. Their bill is due, and it’s time for these profiteers to pay up. The federal government has a duty to make big corporations and investors pay what they owe and put that money back into social programming that supports workers and our families.”

CLC President, Bea Bruske: “Rising prices have led to skyrocketing profits for the wealthiest people and corporations, while everyone else is stuck footing the bill. Workers are fed up having to subsidize the lavish lifestyle of Canada’s multi-millionaires and billionaires. Their bill is due, and it’s time for these profiteers to pay up. The federal government has a duty to make big corporations and investors pay what they owe and put that money back into social programming that supports workers and our families.”

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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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On December 6, 1989, a male gunman targeted and shot several women students at l’École Polytechnique in Montreal. 14 women died, and 10 others were injured. Every year, on December 6, Canada’s unions join organizations across the country in marking the day, by calling for necessary action to end gender-based violence and femicide.

“We remember those lost and injured that day, targeted because they were women. We also mark December 6, by reaffirming our commitment to act against gender-based violence. We owe it to the memory of those victims, and to everyone lost or injured because of gender-based violence since then, to take decisive action and put an end to this injustice,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The December 6 murders happened over three decades ago, and yet we’re still fighting for proper protections against gender-based violence. At work, women and gender-diverse workers are more likely to be the targets of violent behaviour, particularly by third parties like clients, customers or patients. Every worker deserves to be safe at work, which is why it’s critical that the federal government collaborate with unions and employers to implement ILO C-190.”

ILO C-190 establishes a clear framework for ending violence and harassment in the world of work, and makes governments accountable for preventing and addressing violence at work. The federal government of Canada
ratified ILO C-190 earlier this year but has yet to develop a plan for implementation. Meanwhile, incidents of workplace violence perpetrated against women and gender-diverse workers continue to increase.

Femicide is on the rise: on average, one woman or girl is killed every two days in Canada. We’ve also seen a sharp increase in incidents of misogynist, transphobic and homophobic hate. The alarming proliferation of anti-feminist and anti-trans disinformation online is emboldening perpetrators to commit violence offline. Earlier this year, at the University of Waterloo, a male former student targeted and attacked a woman associate-professor in a gender studies class. Two students were also seriously injured in the attack.

Workers with multiple and intersecting identities, like Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people, face especially high rates of gender-based violence. This is why it’s critical that any government plan aimed at addressing
gender-based violence also include measures to implement the MMIWG inquiry calls to justice.

“Gender-based violence is a violation of human rights, and refusing to act to end it is not an option. Everyone deserves to be safe at work, and that includes putting an end to gender-based violence in the world of work. But we must be intentional in the way we do this work, and any policy aimed at addressing gender-based violence must adequately reflect intersectional experiences,” said Siobhán Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President. “It is our duty to honour the memory of those we’ve lost, and to honour those who survived, by ending gender-based violence. For over thirty years, Canada’s unions have called for the prevention and elimination of all forms of gender-based violence, and we remain steadfast in our commitment.”

Canada’s unions are ready to get to work, alongside governments and employers, to ensure workers in every sector and every jurisdiction are safe at work, so no one is left behind.

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For too many workers – especially women and gender-diverse workers – the risk of harassment and violence has become a daily reality. Seven in ten workers have experienced harassment and violence at work, often at the hands of third parties such as customers, patients, and members of the public. The risk is particularly high for those in public-facing jobs, like retail, journalism, health care, education, transportation and hospitality, sectors dominated by women and gender-diverse workers.

Following Canada’s ratification of ILO C-190 earlier this year, the government must implement a comprehensive strategy to enhance safety for all workers. Convention 190 is a global treaty aimed at eradicating violence and harassment in the world of work, and is the product of tripartite collaboration between unions, employer groups and governments.

“With Canada’s ratification of ILO C-190, we have a clear mandate to turn decades of advocacy into safer work for everyone,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “But we have to get it right. Canada needs a comprehensive strategy to implement the convention, which would not only address immediate workplace safety concerns, but also align and incorporate initiatives outlined in the National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence.”

In recent years, we have seen numerous equity-deserving groups targeted by an emboldened far right. This rising tide of hate has contributed to higher rates of third‑party violence linked with pervasive forms of discrimination and marginalization. 2SLGBTQI+ workers, Black, racialized, Indigenous workers, and those with disabilities are most likely to be targeted. Public homophobic and transphobic attacks on members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community are spilling over into workplaces, leaving workers feeling unsafe in an increasing number of places within their own lives.

One worker who participated in the CLC’s 2022 report on harassment and violence in the workplace identified that they didn’t find current solutions intersectional. They explained that the harassing and violent behaviours they experience have overlapping roots, based in racism, homophobia and misogyny. Workers with multiple and intersecting identities in particular need strategic and multi-faceted solutions, that will end workplace harassment on all fronts.

“Dismantling gender-based violence at work also requires a unified response against rising hate. We know there won’t be a one size fits all solution to addressing harassment and violence in the workplace. It’s time for the federal government to bring union, employer and government leaders together to develop holistic strategies to prevent and address third-party violence at work,” said Siobhán Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President. “Together we can close the gaps within existing legislation and regulations, and deepen our collective understanding of violence and harassment at work.”

“Everyone deserves to work free from violence and harassment,” said Bruske. “Unions are ready to work collaboratively with employers and governments on a comprehensive strategy to prevent, address and eliminate third-party violence at work, ensuring that everyone can work without fear and making work a safe and dignified place for all.”

To read the results of the National Survey on Harassment and Violence at work click here. 

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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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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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OTTAWA––C-190 is the first global treaty that acknowledges the universal right to a world of work free from violence and harassment, and establishes a clear framework for ending it. Once ratified, governments are accountable for preventing and addressing all forms of violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment, and it gives unions the tools they need to make work safer for everyone.

“We know that 7 in 10 workers experience some form of harassment and violence, with women and equity-deserving workers experiencing higher rates and deeper impacts on their jobs, their health, and their well-being,” said Bea Bruske, Canadian Labour Congress President. “Ratifying C-190 not only sends a powerful signal that Canadians believe everyone deserves to work free from violence and harassment – it gives governments, unions and employers a roadmap for preventing it, addressing it, and one day eliminating it.”

Convention 190 is groundbreaking and visionary, but also practical and actionable. It recognizes that everyone in the world of work – governments, employers, unions and individual workers – have a role to play to provide and sustain a work culture that is based on mutual respect and the dignity of everyone.

“We are excited about the potential for proactive, positive change that this ratification represents,” said Bruske. “C-190 is a comprehensive instrument. It’s inclusive in how it defines who is protected and what work situations are covered, it highlights the need for gender-responsive approaches, and it requires that violence and harassment involving third parties – whether they are clients, customers, patients or members of the public – be considered and addressed. For workers whose jobs involve dealing with the public and in public space, this recognition is extremely important.”

“This is truly a convention that leaves no one behind. But to realize its promise and potential, Canada needs a strong plan to implement it in every jurisdiction. Canada’s unions are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work with governments and employers to develop this plan and to make work safer for everyone.”

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33 years after the École Polytechnique attack, the CLC’s National Survey on Harassment and Violence at Work exposed the unnerving reality that gender-based harassment and violence remain a persistent threat to workers. The survey also found that third-party violence (from customers, clients, patients and others) accounts for 1 in 3 of these incidents and is a particular threat to women and gender-diverse workers who are more frequently employed in public-facing jobs.

“We hear heartbreaking stories from workers of harassment and violence from members of the public, their patients, or clients,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “And even more devastating, every year workers in Canada are murdered at work due to rising rates of third-party violence fuelled by misogyny, racism, transphobia, and homophobia. We know that third-party violence is a significant and sometimes deadly threat to workers, yet existing legislation on workplace health and safety does not adequately cover it.”

Inaction can be deadly. In 2019, Deborah Onwu, a youth social worker was killed while caring for a client. In 2021, Julia Ferguson, was murdered at the law firm she worked at. In 2022, Harmandeep Kaur was murdered while working as a security guard on the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan campus. The murder of these three women is a stark reminder of how much work we have yet to do to address gender-based violence and harassment at work and the continued threat of third-party violence.

“We need a gender-responsive and intersectional approach to tackling third-party violence and we can find that approach in International Labour Convention 190 (C‑190),” said CLC President Bea Bruske. “While the Canadian government has taken the first steps to ratify C-190, we need a plan to implement it properly and workers’ voices need to be at the centre of that plan. Labour is ready to do our part, but we cannot do it alone. Governments and employers must work with us to address third‑party violence and its disproportionate impact on women and gender-diverse workers.”

That is why, during this year’s 16 Days of activism, the CLC is calling on the government to bring other levels of governments, unions and workers together for a tripartite summit to examine the issue of third-party violence, its impact on women and gender-diverse workers, and to formulate a plan for addressing this urgent issue as a key step toward implementing C-190. Refusing to act is not an option as workers continue to face life-threatening incidents of harassment and violence at work.

“Together we can make work safer and say Never Again to gender-based violence.”

Read more about third-party violence at work and its impacts on women, two-spirit, trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming workers in this statement by labour leaders.

To read the results on the National Survey on Harassment and Violence at work click here.

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“Investments in care are essential if we’re going to reduce and redistribute women’s unpaid work and pave the way for women to take on paid work, or to access education or training,” said Bea Bruske, CLC President. “If women are going to have equal opportunities and equal access to the labour force, then Canada must address its care crisis. In addition to unpaid care duties, many women work in care jobs: jobs that are undervalued, underpaid and often have poor working conditions. We need drastic change to achieve true gender equality.”

It is estimated that Canada’s care economy employs roughly one in five workers in the Canadian labour force. Whether it’s health care, education, child care, elder care, domestic work, social services, care for persons with disabilities, community centres and more, care work is crucial to the wellbeing of our communities and our economy.

However, years of chronic government underfunding, coupled with increased privatisation and a worrying shift of care to for-profit businesses has left us with a broken care system. According to the OECD, Canada falls near the bottom among wealthy countries in its public expenditure on social services. This has led to a decreasing level of quality of care as well as an overall erosion of decent working conditions for workers in the care economy.

This is why Canada’s unions recently launched Show We Care, a national campaign aimed at highlighting care workers in Canada and calling for investments to fix the struggling systems.

In Canada, women make up nearly 75 percent of Canada’s care workers and research shows that their involvement in care work, particularly unpaid care, is a critical factor in shaping women’s employment and trajectories for lifetime earnings. Statistics Canada estimated that in 2019 alone, the economic value of unpaid household work in Canada was equivalent to between $515 billion and $860 billion. That amounts to a quarter or as high as 37 percent of Canada’s nominal GDP that year.

“Gender Equality Week is a significant opportunity for our federal government to take stock of the gender inequities in our broken care systems and commit to action,” said Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. “It’s past time for federal decision makers to take action and show they care by repairing Canada’s failing care systems.”

Unions are calling on the federal government to address the care crisis by:

• Forming a Care Economy Commission to study, design and implement a comprehensive Canadian care strategy;
• Making significant and on-going investments in public social infrastructure and care work to ensure an equitable and sustainable economic recovery;
• Implementing standards and investments to address shortfalls and inequitable levels of care for seniors and persons with disabilities, including in long-term care, home care and palliative care;
• Ensuring that the new investments in early learning and childhood education in every province and territory address the child care workforce crisis;
• Ratifying the International Labour Organisation’s Convention 189 to ensure decent work and protections for domestic workers; and
• Establishing pathways to permanent residency for migrant workers, many of whom deliver care, and ensure migrant workers have comprehensive worker protections to prevent exploitation and abuse.

“Our jobs, our families and our economy depend on having our care needs met,” said Bruske. “We need federal leadership to make Canada a place where everyone has the care they need, and caregivers have the recognition, support and compensation they deserve.”

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OTTAWA – Canada’s unions are urging members of Parliament to stand up for workers and their families by acting urgently to extend temporary Employment Insurance rules until a permanent fix can be implemented.

“Unless MPs and the government take action this week, the EI program will revert to the old pre-COVID rules, leaving thousands unable to access benefits. Precarious workers, many of them women and racialized workers, would be hit hardest,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “People are still facing enormous challenges. Reverting EI back to Harper-era rules will mean thousands of workers are unable to access help, just when they need it most.”

Bruske explained that the end of the enhanced EI measures, put in place to help workers through job losses and layoffs during the pandemic, means thousands of workers who still depend on these benefits will struggle to qualify, while costs for everyday necessities like food, fuel and housing, continue to skyrocket.

‘’It is wrong for the government to now abandon people being thrown out of work,’’ added Bruske. “We need our elected representatives to urgently work together to extend temporary measures until Canada’s broken EI system can be permanently improved, as the government has promised to do.”

Bruske added that Canada’s unions welcomed New Democrats and Liberals working together to provide emergency help for people and urge all parties to now work together to fix EI, hold mega-profitable corporations to account and make sure struggling families are not left behind.

“Pierre Poilievre has a record of cuts to health care, cuts to support to the unemployed, and attacks on workers. Now, while Poilievre and the Conservatives talk loudly about inflation, they actually oppose help for families in need,” said Bea Bruske. “As so many families continue to struggle with the ongoing affordability crisis, it is critical MPs from all parties now come together to help families in need and make sure companies making colossal profits are made to pay their fair share.’’

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

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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.

The post Equal pay for work of equal value: it’s long past the time for employers and governments to get it right on pay equity appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Today, the Supreme Court of the United States delivered a devastating decision to overturn the landmark precedent set 50 years ago in Roe v. Wade. The decision to rule against the constitutional right to access safe and legal abortion care jeopardizes the reproductive rights of millions of Americans.

“Canada’s unions are reacting to this decision with deep concern and a renewed commitment to redouble our efforts for equitable access to abortion care and reproductive health services across our country.

“Access to safe, legal abortion is a fundamental human right that must be guaranteed to everyone and should not be a privilege related to the colour of your skin, where you live or how much money you have. Taking away peoples’ reproductive health and rights is wrong and will inevitably impact poor and racialized communities the most.

“Abortion bans do not stop abortion. They only make abortions harder to access and more dangerous, particularly for communities who are already marginalized. The World Health Organization estimates that 25 million unsafe abortions take place each year, and identifies that the lack of safe, respectful, timely abortion care services is a critical public health issue and leading cause for maternal deaths and morbidities world-wide.

“While abortion is decriminalized in Canada, barriers to accessing this essential health service persist. These barriers include a lack of accurate information, travel and other costs associated with accessing care, wait times, and gestational limits. These barriers disproportionately impact low-income, young, newcomer and racialized populations, as well as people with disabilities, and those living in rural and remote communities.

“Anti-abortion movements, attacks on 2SLGBTQI communities, and the growing tide of right-wing extremism, are well funded movements that have no borders. We must remain vigilant in standing up for the rights of all people.

“While there is still much work to do here in Canada, we remain committed in our solidarity to all advocates and activists continuing the fight for bodily autonomy and gender justice, in the United States and around the world.”

For more information about sexual and reproductive health and rights in Canada:

Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada: https://www.arcc-cdac.ca/

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights: https://www.actioncanadashr.org/

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

The post Bea Bruske: Canada’s unions express solidarity and demand action on reproductive rights appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s unions have long called for the federal government to ratify and implement ILO Convention 189 Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers (C-189) and ILO Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment (C-190). Both global conventions prioritize labour rights and standards, with C-189 establishing rights and protections specifically for domestic workers. C-190 recognizes the right of all people to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment.

“Domestic workers are crucial in supporting Canadian families, households and the broader economy. From cleaning, to cooking, to caring for children, older people and people with disabilities, the work of domestic workers is critical and life-sustaining,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “By signing and ratifying ILO C-189 and C-190, Canada has the opportunity to recognize the true value of domestic workers and start to put in place the infrastructure needed to protect their rights.”

Despite playing an important role in Canada’s care economy, domestic workers continue to be denied decent work and are often subjected to exploitation, poor working conditions and limited pathways to permanent immigration status. In addition, COVID-19 heavily impacted domestic workers in Canada and globally. In Canada, domestic workers experienced reduced hours, job losses, unpaid wages and increased precarity and struggled to access social protections, services or programs such as employment insurance.

UN Women estimates that one in every 25 women workers around the world are employed in domestic work, with one in six workers being migrants. In Canada, racialized and migrant women make up the majority of domestic workers, providing essential labour that is part of Canada’s care economy, supporting families and households across the country.

It’s time for our government to ensure decent and safe work for domestic workers across the country. It’s time for Canada to ratify ILO C-189 and C-190.

—

Learn about migrant care worker exploitation in Canada during COVID-19.

Learn more about the campaigns to Ratify C-189 and C-190.

Read more about our calls for pathways to permanent residency for migrant workers.

The post June 16 is International Domestic Workers’ Day appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“We all need care at some point in our lives. It is vital, skilled and life-sustaining work that supports our families, economy, and communities,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “However, the majority of this work continues to be performed by women and much of it is unpaid. If we truly want to achieve gender equality and build a more just society, care work must be part of the conversation.”

The federal government must address the care crisis by building and growing the care sector with good jobs that don’t rely on women’s unpaid work. Canada also needs a coherent strategy for care and increased investments in the care services and supports that people and families need. The federal government should create a Care Economy Commission to study, design and implement this strategy.

Care work refers to the tasks that are required to support the health, well-being, maintenance and development of people. This often includes caring for children, care for the elderly, care for people with disabilities, and domestic work such as cooking and cleaning to support families and individuals. Care work is part of our social fabric and allows all other work to happen. Despite this, care is not always seen as work and often goes unrecognized and undervalued ꟷ especially the work that is unpaid.

Globally, women perform more than three times as much unpaid care work as men. This heavy load means many women have less time to engage in paid work or education, or struggle to balance their paid and unpaid work. This “second shift” can impact women’s job choices or limit their chances of promotion. It can also negatively impact mental and physical health, and family stress.

“Our economy’s reliance on women’s unpaid care work contributes to women’s poverty and reduced lifetime earnings. Unpaid care work has long been filling gaps where social services and so-called “safety nets” have failed and cannot meet peoples’ basic needs. During the pandemic, this work has increased and has stretched everyone to a breaking point,” said Bruske. “This cannot continue. Those who give and receive care deserve better.”

“It’s no coincidence that care jobs in Canada are often low-paid, with poor job security and challenging working conditions. Care workers are mostly women, and many of them are racialized, immigrants or migrant workers,” added Siobhan Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President. “Care work is undervalued, and often invisible, but absolutely essential to our economy. This is about women’s economic justice. Investments in care will not only ensure equal access to quality care for all Canadians, but also an equitable society in which women, and others who experience systemic oppression, can thrive.

Visit the action hub at canadianplan.ca for more information on how you can get involved.

The post IWD 2022: Gender equality depends on a healthy care economy appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“This year marks ten years since the adoption of C-189, an historic convention which confirms the labour rights of domestic workers. And yet, a decade on, domestic workers in Canada continue to experience barriers to accessing and receiving the services and protections they need,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Domestic workers were already fighting for equality and the right to decent work before the pandemic, and the situation has only gotten more dismal since then, as we’ve seen a marked increase in inequities and injustices.”

Prior to the pandemic, domestic care workers were already an indispensable part of Canada’s care economy, providing invaluable care and support to our families and communities. Through every wave of the pandemic, the care labour provided by domestic workers has intensified and increased, yet these workers are still highly undervalued, underpaid and at risk of mistreatment and exploitation.

“Without ratification and implementation of C-189, migrant care workers remain vulnerable to exploitation, wage theft, violence, harassment and significant economic and social precarity. Its ratification would go a long way toward addressing the vulnerability of these workers and would protect their human rights,” said Siobhán Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President.

ILO Convention 189 ensures that domestic workers have the rights and protections they need to continue the vital work they have been doing to keep our families and communities afloat, both before and during the pandemic.

A large number of domestic workers are migrant and non-status racialized women, and face barriers to decent work and protections due to immigration status and systemic racism. There are approximately 25,000 migrant caregivers in Canada, and one in three care workers lost their jobs during the pandemic, either temporarily or permanently. Most of these migrant care workers are working on closed work permits, which tie them to one employer and bar them from job mobility and security. Canada’s immigration rules prevent these workers from finding employment elsewhere, and from advancing on the path to permanent residency. For those migrant workers who were live-in caregivers, this loss of employment also meant a loss of housing – an additional barrier to their safety and wellbeing.

Canada’s unions continue to urge the federal government to address this issue by offering pathways to permanent residency to all migrant workers, which would provide them with access to the government supports and labour protections they require.

Domestic workers have waited long enough for their rights to be recognized and respected. It’s past time for Canada to ratify Convention 189 and ensure decent work for these essential and skilled workers.

The post Human Rights Day: Canada must ratify C-189 to protect vulnerable domestic workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

November 25 marks the beginning of the internationally commemorated 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Gender-based violence and harassment infiltrates every aspect of Canadian society, from our homes, to our community spaces, to the world of work. Violence and harassment is a daily reality for far too many workers in Canada, heightened even further by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 “The argument that harassment and violence is inevitable in certain workplaces is unacceptable. All workers deserve to feel safe at work,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “We want concrete action from the government to prevent and end gender-based violence and harassment at work. That starts with ratifying C-190.

C-190 is the first international standard of its kind that acknowledges the universal right to a world of work free from violence and harassment, and establishes a clear framework for ending it. Once ratified, governments are accountable for preventing and addressing all forms of violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment, and it gives unions the tools they need to make work safer for everyone.

Jobs and sectors dominated by women workers are disproportionately impacted by workplace harassment and violence. Women and gender diverse workers who also face discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, race, disability, Indigeneity, immigration or migration status or other social identity are also more likely to experience workplace harassment and violence, and face additional barriers to reporting. Too often, workers are not protected by existing legislation, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and threatening their safety at work.

“Now is the time for action. The pandemic has increased incidents of harassment and violence against health care and other frontline workers,” said Siobhán Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President. “And incidents of domestic violence for those working from home have also increased over the past 20 months. C-190 is comprehensive and inclusive. It gives us the tools we need to prevent and address gender-based violence at work, and work toward ending it.”

Join us in marking the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence by asking the new Minister of Labour to ratify C-190 to protect all workers in Canada.

On December 7^th we invite everyone to join the CLC’s virtual webinar on gender-based violence at work and learn how ILO C-190 will impact workers in Canada.

The post Canada’s unions call on federal government to ratify and implement C-190 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“With women so disproportionately impacted by the economic crisis that accompanied the pandemic, it is not enough that Mr. Trudeau appoints a cabinet based on gender parity. The new cabinet must take concrete action to address the significant setbacks to women’s labour force participation over the last 18 months. This includes immediately implementing child care agreements in every province and territory.

“Canada’s unions look forward to working with Prime Minister Trudeau and the new federal cabinet on the pressing issues facing workers and their families.

“With the high cost of housing and growing affordability challenges plaguing so many essentials families rely on, we welcome the new creation of a Minister of Housing. This must be a top priority for the government, and we look forward to working closely with Minister Ahmed Hussen.

“We also welcome the creation of the position of Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and look to Carolyn Bennett to urgently address the opioid crisis, which has caused so much pain across Canada.

“We look forward to working with the new Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan. His first priorities should be making sure that basic employment standards are extended to all workers in Canada, implementing a permanent fix for our broken EI system and ensuring all workers have a path to unionization.

“Now that the new cabinet is in place, the government must now demonstrate it is serious about building an inclusive and equitable recovery by investing in better, safer jobs and strengthening quality public health and our country’s care services.”

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To arrange an interview with Bea Bruske, contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
Cell: 343-549-8397

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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.”

The post SCC ruling a victory for working women appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions and provincial nurses’ unions across Canada are holding a National Day of Action today, making sure our health care system is top of mind when voters go to vote on Monday.

“We’ve seen a pandemic with devastating consequences on frontline health workers after more than a decade of chronic nursing shortages,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “It’s long past time nurses receive basic respect, safety and fairness. Canada’s unions are proud to stand in solidarity today with nurses across the country.”

Overworked, underpaid and suffering under the pressure of the pandemic on their work and life, hospital staff are leaving their jobs at an alarming rate. Overtime is up almost 80% on average, and almost 140% in Ontario and Quebec. For Black, Indigenous, and racialized nurses, they also can face daily discrimination.

Nursing unions have been warning about the crisis and the urgent need for governments to invest in nursing.

“The pandemic has made clear to everyone how years of health care cuts, started by Stephen Harper and Erin O’Toole, left a tattered health care system. Mr. O’Toole says he’ll restore the cuts, but only years down the road. The crisis is right now,” said Bruske. “Nurses are right to say they’re done waiting. I urge voters to reject Mr. O’Toole’s empty words and vote to strengthen our public health care system.”

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

The post Canada’s unions united with nurses in demanding urgent government action appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA – Health care systems are on the brink. Alberta is witnessing 1,500 new cases a day and rising while their health care system is on the verge of collapse. Saskatchewan saw a record 506 new cases. Cases are spiking in New Brunswick.

To make matters worse, Statistics Canada reported that nearly one-in-five job vacancies in Canada was in health care and social assistance. Many workers in the care economy are underpaid and working under poor conditions – most are women, and many are Black, Indigenous, racialized or recent immigrants and migrants.

“From coast-to-coast-to-coast, our health care systems are strained to the breaking point,” said Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske. “Erin O’Toole talks like he supports public health care but when you look at his policies, he’s just another Conservative opening the door to privatization and leaving care workers behind. The bulk of his promised new health funding – if it ever actually happened – would be years down the road.”

While Alberta’s health care system is buckling under premier Jason Kenney’s mishandling of the fourth wave, his Conservative government is still planning cuts. In Ontario yesterday, the independent Financial Accountability Office revealed that the Doug Ford Conservative government spent $2.6 billion less than planned in the fiscal first quarter.

“From Ontario to Alberta to Saskatchewan, we have seen health cuts and health care systems on the brink. Conservative mismanagement is putting our public health care system at risk,” concluded Bruske. “And Mr. O’Toole already has a track record of cutting health care. In power now, he would make things even worse.”

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

The post O’Toole another Conservative who would put our public health care system at risk appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

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

The post Conservative O’Toole would mean low-wage recovery that leaves workers behind appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s unions are warning that a huge fiscal hole in Erin O’Toole’s platform and proposals that leave workers behind would put Canada’s already weakened social safety net at risk.

Experts have been pointing to how the Conservatives’ unrealistic growth projections create a gigantic fiscal gap in their plan.

“Mr. O’Toole’s risky plan not only has a large fiscal hole at its heart, his policies seem to be written by his friends at Uber and his buddies on Bay Street,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “He’s trying to build a social safety net out of hot air and empty promises.”

Bruske pointed to O’Toole’s pledge to cancel agreements with provinces to create new child care spaces and his proposal to create an “Employee Savings Account” as two prime examples of how Conservative policies would weaken Canada’s social safety net.

“Workers – mostly women – faced an impossible choice when schools and daycares closed. Many were forced to put their working lives on hold. What is Mr. O’Toole’s answer to parents?” asked Bruske. “After working women fought and struggled for decades for child care, Mr. O’Toole is vowing to tear up agreements for more high-quality affordable child care spaces.”

In a separate move that further weakens Canada’s social safety net, the Conservatives’ proposed “Employee Savings Account” would deny some gig economy workers real access to a pension and EI, forcing them to rely on costly financial products sold by banks and financial institutions instead.

“Mr. O’Toole would not only chip away at the foundations of EI and the CPP, he would entrench a two-tier system where low-paid workers have to accept second-class status,” said Bruske. “The pandemic taught us we must expand EI coverage to all workers, yet Conservatives would instead weaken the social safety net workers rely on.”

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

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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

The post Bea Bruske: Put working families at the heart of Canada’s recovery appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit domestic workers hard – as of June 2020, the ILO estimated that approximately 72.3% of global domestic workers were “significantly impacted” by the pandemic. For many, the pandemic closures and lockdown measures have led to reduced hours or job losses, while for others it has led to more work, unpaid wages, and increasingly unsafe and precarious working conditions.

Women make up the vast majority of domestic workers internationally. In Canada, most domestic work is carried out by racialized women, many of whom are migrants. Their work, while critical to our lives and the economy, has long been undervalued. Without full and permanent immigration status or full access to social security systems and labour protections, migrant care workers are made vulnerable, often unable to leave exploitative – and sometimes even violent – employment conditions. With domestic work largely taking place in the informal economy, workers are left without options, protections, or a safety net.

In Canada, a 2020 survey of migrant care workers found that one in three workers lost their jobs during COVID-19. Another third had their mobility limited by their employer and almost half of surveyed workers experienced work intensification and unpaid overtime as a result of the pandemic. Of those who did lose their job, one in three workers reported problems accessing the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Employment Insurance (EI).

“Domestic work continues to be made invisible and is underappreciated. While COVID-19 has made this work more visible, we still have a far way to go to demonstrate that this work is truly valued,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Ten years after the adoption of ILO Convention 189, Canada’s unions call for the essential and skilled work of domestic workers be recognized and their rights protected.

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Read more about Domestic Workers and COVID-19: https://idwfed.org/en/covid-19

Learn about migrant care worker exploitation during COVID-19: https://migrantrights.ca/BehindClosedDoors/

Read more on the campaign to Ratify C189: https://idwfed.org/en/campaigns/ratify-c189

Canada’s unions call for pathways to permanent residency for migrant workers: https://canadianlabour.ca/canadas-unions-call-for-pathway-to-permanent-residency-for-all-migrant-workers/

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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 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – observed every year on November 25 – also marks the start of 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence.

“Gender-based violence was a crisis in Canada even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic, domestic violence has increased and measures to slow the spread of the virus have made it increasingly difficult for anyone living in an abusive relationship to escape their abusers,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker. “Over a third of women workers have experienced domestic violence – and those numbers are even higher for trans people,”

A woman is killed by her intimate partner every 6 days in this country. Thousands of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people have been murdered or gone missing. And more than half of women have been exposed to sexual harassment at work.

Shelters and support organizations in many areas have reported alarming increases in demand for services. With many people, working from home and many others laid off, the stress of economic insecurity, social isolation, fear of infection and other pressures raises the risk of escalating violence ꟷ and creates new barriers to support.

Calling a shelter or sexual assault centre can feel impossible when under a partner’s watch. Police interventions and “wellness checks” have proven deadly for Black and Indigenous people in particular.

COVID-19 has also led to a rise in violence and harassment at work, especially for workers on the front lines in health care, food services and retail, and other public-facing jobs. These are sectors where the majority of workers are women, many of whom are BIPOC, immigrant and migrant women and young women.

“We applaud governments’ efforts to support shelters through the increased demand this year, but this pandemic clearly shows the importance of services and supports for women, children and others experiencing violence,” said Walker. “Now more than ever, Canada needs a National Action Plan to tackle this crisis.

The National Action Plan must establish clear targets for eliminating gender-based violence. It must be intersectional and long-term and it must tackle gender-based violence and harassment at work. This means that Canada needs to ratify ILO Convention-190 on violence and harassment, and establish concrete ways to meet ILO obligations. Canada’s unions are ready to work with governments and employers to make this happen.

“Five years ago, Canada’s unions joined feminist and women’s organizations to lay out the blueprint for a National Action Plan. The time to act is now. We are done waiting,” said Walker. ‘

Visit the Done Waiting website for more information.

The post Canada’s unions call for a National Action plan on Gender-Based Violence appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Participants will be calling on elected representatives to push for federal investments towards job creation, health care and child care, among other necessary programs. Over 200 meetings are scheduled.

“The pandemic continues to disrupt our lives in a myriad of ways. Our governments have an integral role in making sure that workers and their families get through this ongoing crisis,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “Workers know they have to advocate for solutions that centre their experiences and which address the systemic gaps this pandemic has revealed. Right now, the only way to do that is virtually and workers are stepping up in a significant way to do what it takes to be heard,” said Yussuff.

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to disaster-proof the economy.  This includes committing to shovel-ready projects that create stable, well-paying jobs, as well as investing in job training for workers, particularly those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including racialized workers, women, and people with disabilities. Unions are urging the government to start by implementing its promised $15 minimum wage in federally regulated workplaces.

The pandemic has also demonstrated the need for a more resilient and comprehensive public health care system. Canada’s unions have long called for the implementation of single-payer, universal pharmacare, particularly urgent now considering that millions of people in Canada have lost access to drug benefits and are struggling to pay for their prescription medications.

“There is no going back to business as usual,” said Yussuff. “On the contrary, we’ve managed to weather this pandemic better than some countries by working together and taking care of one another. MPs will be hearing directly from their own constituents this week on how they can continue to support working people and their families going forward.”

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

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Workers around the world want investment in public health and care services including mental health, child care, early childhood education, elderly care and other social care services that serve all our communities. In Canada, unions are also calling for a federal Care Economy Commission.

Decades of austerity-driven fiscal policies and a market-based approach to the delivery of care have created inequities and gaps.

“We have been sounding the alarm about the crisis in care services for years,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker. “The added pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded these problems. Our economy is relying more than ever on unpaid labour, and on precarious, low-wage work done by women, a disproportionate number of whom are racialized.”

Canada needs care-focused solutions for the recovery. These solutions must meet the needs of our most vulnerable, create better jobs and disaster-proof our economy and our social safety net against future crises.

The proposed federal Care Economy Commission would study, design and implement a care strategy for Canada that would:

• Create a broad and 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, the elderly and people living with disabilities.

“This pandemic has shone a light on what’s been broken for too long,” said Walker. “We need to rethink our approach to care. Strong public care systems – whether health care, child care, long term care or care services for persons with disabilities – are central to the well-being of individuals, families and communities.”

Canada’s unions are calling for a Canadian plan that’s rooted in our way of doing things – and that means taking care of one another. Public investments in services – not austerity – are a key part of a robust response and recovery that ensures our collective well-being.

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“This ongoing crisis, and the long history of colonialist attitudes that devalues the being and culture of Indigenous peoples, is our biggest shame,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Canada’s unions are calling on our federal government to develop and implement a national action plan on violence against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people,”

The rate of sexual assault of Indigenous women in this country today is more than three times that of non-Indigenous women. The homicide rate of Indigenous women in Canada is six times higher and those crimes are solved at a lower rate.

In June 2019, after years of advocacy from the families of the missing and murdered and their allies, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its final report. The report was based on three years of testimony from 2,000 individuals and their families. Among the report’s 231 Calls for Justice is the call for a national action plan to end this violence.

Despite commitments from the federal government to develop a national action plan by June 2020, no plan or updated timelines have been released.

“It’s been over a year since the National Inquiry’s final report was published, and still there is little progress from the federal government,” said Clarke Walker. “During this pandemic, we’ve witnessed a spike in domestic violence, homicide and cyberbullying. Action on gender-based violence has never been more urgent.”

The action plan must be developed with input from provinces, territories, Indigenous leaders, families and women’s groups, two-spirit persons and all other advocates, to ensure it is transparent and trauma-informed.

To mark Sisters in Spirit this year you can:

• Attend a virtual vigil: The Native Women’s Association of Canada is livestreaming a vigil on Sunday, October 4 from 2-3:30 pm EDT.
• Find a social-distanced vigil in your community: The Native Women’s Association of Canada will post local events. Families of Sisters in Spirit is organizing a vigil in Ottawa on Sunday, October 4 at noon EDT. This vigil may be moved online.
• Write a letter to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Carolyn Bennett, to demand a national action plan using Amnesty International Canada’s letter-writing tool
• Learn more about CLC’s lobbying priorities on Indigenous rights here.

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“We as a movement are raising our voices to express alarm and outrage over recent incidents of police brutality, including the deaths of Chantal Moore and Rodney Levi,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We can no longer ignore the systemic racism in this country.”

In light of these tragedies, Canada’s unions reiterate their support for all calls to action calling for reforms of policing and the criminal justice system found within the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report, as well as the final report of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

These incidents also come in the midst of a global health crisis that has, again, exposed inequities faced by Indigenous peoples and communities.

“The CLC supports the calls from the Assembly of First Nations for a dedicated plan in response to the unique realities that have made Indigenous communities vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19,” said Rousseau. “This day is one occasion to celebrate the history and cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across this northern part of Turtle Island, also known as Canada, but they cannot be ignored for the other 364 days.”

The Assembly of First Nations has pointed to the remoteness of many First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, inadequate housing that is often over-crowded, a lack of safe drinking water and more.

“Continued inaction is not an option. We must cement our solidarity as trade unionists in the struggle for justice that Indigenous communities face every day across Canada,” concluded Rousseau.

You can mark National Indigenous People’s Day 2020 with us by reading and reviewing the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as well as the final report of the Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. In both reports, you will find specific calls to action and calls to justice for organizations, individuals and governments. Do what you can in your communities to support these calls to action and pressure all levels of government to take immediate action to implement them.

Check out the links below to find out about virtual events and calls to action being organized by Indigenous organizations across Canada to mark National Indigenous People’s Day 2020:

Assembly of First Nations
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Metis National Council
Native Women’s Association of Canada
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

For further reading on Indigenous history and racism in Canada:

• Children of the Broken Treaty : Canada’s Lost Promise of One Girl’s Dream by Charlie Angus
• #IdleNoMore by Ken Coates
• Clearing the Plains by James W. Daschuk
• Peace Pipe Dreams by Darrell Dennis
• Surviving Canada: Indigenous Peoples Celebrate 150 Years of Betrayal, Edited by Myra Tait and Kiera Ladner
• Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality by Bob Joseph
• Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga

Find more resources here.

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“It is important that we recognize the significant economic contribution of domestic work  – work performed in or for a household or households – as valuable work, and acknowledge the effect that the current pandemic has had on these vulnerable workers,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Many have lost work because employers are following public health guidelines on physical distancing or because their employers have lost income and can no longer afford these services.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant loss or reduction of income for many domestic workers, leaving them unable to support themselves and their families.

According to UN Women, 83 per cent of domestic workers worldwide are women, and a majority of those are racialized women. Wages are low and working conditions can be challenging – even abusive. The pandemic’s impacts are not gender neutral. There are increased demands on workloads with children at home from school, child care centres closed and more demands on household responsibilities in general.

Internationally, many domestic workers are migrants or part of the informal economy. In Canada, the pandemic has exacerbated the precarity of their situation, making them ineligible for government income supports. Moreover, migrant care workers should be granted fair and accessible pathways to citizenship in Canada.

“The pandemic has laid bare just how essential the labour of domestic workers is – cleaning, cooking, caring for children, the elderly and people with disabilities. All of this work is necessary to sustain our economy,” said Yussuff. “It is time we cared for those who care for us.”

Read more about Domestic Workers and COVID-19: https://idwfed.org/en/covid-19

Resources for Domestic Workers on COVID-19: https://idwfed.org/en/covid-19/the-idwf/educational-awareness/stay-safe-what-do-you-need-to-know-about-covid-19

Recommendations for employers, governments, and others: https://idwfed.org/en/covid-19/advocacy-to-the-target-groups

Read more on the campaign to Ratify C189: https://idwfed.org/en/campaigns/ratify-c189

Caregivers Action Centre: http://www.caregiversactioncentre.org/

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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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Although there is still much we do not know about this tragedy, now the deadliest massacre in Canadian history, it has come to light that the killer began his shooting spree by assaulting his intimate partner.

Women’s shelters in Nova Scotia and across the country have called on the media and police to call the recent massacre what it is: an act of gender-based violence.

“We must acknowledge that these murders were rooted in misogyny,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “They are not ‘senseless,’ ‘random’ or ‘isolated’. They are part of the nationwide crisis of violence against women. It is the same crisis that sees a woman or girl killed every three days in this country.”

Research shows that in the majority of mass shootings there is a history of domestic violence. Misogyny was also at the root of Canada’s other deadliest killings: the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal and the 2018 Toronto van attack.

While misogynist violence can touch any woman, some groups of women are impacted disproportionately: Indigenous women, young women, women with disabilities, and trans women and non-binary folk all experience higher rates of domestic violence.

Other groups of women face barriers to support and to accessing justice. Black and Indigenous women, refugees and migrant women, and trans women may be reluctant to seek the support of police or social services because these systems may expose them to other forms of structural violence and discrimination. Accessible services are difficult to find for deaf women and women with disabilities. Few such services exist in rural and remote communities.

“This pandemic, along with the public health recommendation to stay at home has put women further at risk,” said Clarke Walker. “Canada’s unions applaud governments’ efforts to ensure that shelters and other support providers have the resources they need to manage an increase in demand and to assist women whose homes are not safe.”

Over the last five years, the Canadian labour movement successfully fought for and won paid domestic violence leave both federally and in the vast majority of provinces and territories. Now, we must go further.

Canada needs a National Action Plan on Violence Against Women and Girls. A Plan would help plug the gaps in anti-violence services while establishing clear targets for progress and ensuring consistency across and within jurisdictions. Although the federal government has signaled its intent to develop a Plan, it needs to establish the funding and the process to see it through.

The federal government needs to step up and accelerate these efforts. Women and non-binary people – especially those who are marginalized – are literally dying while we wait.

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According to Statistics Canada, employment fell by one million in March and the ranks of the unemployed grew by 413,000. Canada’s unemployment rate rose by 2.2 percentage points to 7.8 per cent, the largest single-month increase since comparable data became available in 1976.

“Today’s alarming unemployment numbers underscore the devastation this pandemic is having on workers and has made clear the enormous task in front of us,” said Hassan Yussuff, CLC’s president.

“Right now, working people need secure and adequate incomes, rent and mortgage relief, and a break on bank and credit card fees. The federal government’s commitment to increasing the Canada Child Benefit and expanding the GST/HST credit was welcomed news. As are the emergency benefits package and wage subsidy programs which are integral to preserving jobs and getting money to many of these workers. However, the scope of coverage simply needs to be broadened.”

The latest numbers highlight the impact of current efforts to curb coronavirus infections on communities across the country. Losses were concentrated in accommodation and food services where employment fell by 294,000 jobs, or 23.9 per cent compared to the previous month. Women and vulnerable workers have been hit hardest in this sudden downturn.

All provinces saw increases in the unemployment rate, with the exception of Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island. The largest increases were in Quebec (+3.6 percentage points to 8.1 per cent), British Columbia (+2.2 percentage points to 7.2 per cent) and Ontario (+2.1 percentage points to 7.6 per cent).

April employment numbers are expected to show even higher numbers of job losses. The critical need for social distancing will continue to impact the country’s economic well-being. Beyond that, it will take cross-sector efforts to ensure that a full, robust recovery benefits everyone.

“Economic recovery will take all orders of government, business and industry, workers and labour being at the same table building durable, long-term solutions. The CLC will continue to demand action to support the livelihoods of all workers in Canada, now and in the recovery to come,” said Yussuff.

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Health care workers are working overtime, playing a critical role for their patients across the country and around the world, often without access to adequate personal protective equipment.

“These essential health care workers are making unimaginable sacrifices, losing time with their loved ones, and risking their own health,” said Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff. “At a time when these workers are being asked to go above and beyond – sometimes acting as the only support for patients because of quarantine – we need to make sure they have every piece of equipment they need to reduce their own risk and any risk to their families.”

Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with all health care workers. These jobs are always challenging – with a lack of funding, threat of violence in the workplace, the trauma and stress faced by many, and an ongoing shortage of professionals ­– but more challenging now than perhaps ever before.

“We need to pay tribute to these workers, and demonstrate our thanks by following the best advice of public health officials – washing our hands, not touching our faces, and staying home whenever possible,” said Yussuff. “We owe it to all essential workers to do everything we can to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

At the end of this crisis, when the recovery starts, Canada’s unions will continue to press for adequate funding to ensure health care workers always have what they need to provide Canadians with the best possible care. This includes funding for national, public pharmacare, which would reduce hospital visits from those who can’t afford to take their medications as prescribed.

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“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.

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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.

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“We continue to share our recommendations with the federal government as this situation progresses. While there has been an important move in easing measures around Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, the government will need to go much further to protect the most vulnerable,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

After decades of cuts, Canada’s unemployment safety net is wholly inadequate and paid sick leave policies across the country are insufficient.

In 2018, only 33 per cent of unemployed women and 38 per cent of unemployed men received EI benefits. Seasonal workers, those with precarious employment and the self-employed are most vulnerable and will require urgent support.

“While we acknowledge the important measures all levels of governments are taking to ease the burden on the business community to help save jobs in the private sector, more must be done to assist front-line workers in health care fields who are vital in the fight against COVID-19,” said Yussuff.

Further, CLC urges the federal government to:

• Reduce the entry requirement for EI regular and sickness benefits;
• Immediately increase the current benefit rate from 55 per cent to 60 per cent;
• Establish an emergency benefit with a low minimum contribution requirement to support otherwise ineligible workers;
• Implement regulations to waive the requirement that claimants obtain a doctor’s note if they require quarantine;
• Make additional government funds available to provide special income relief for health sector workers who may be subject to quarantine or who become sick;
• Instruct utilities, banks, landlords, credit card companies and financial institutions to extend and relax mortgage, rent and bill payment requirements, loan servicing obligations, and other responsibilities facing consumers and households;
• Work with First Ministers to declare that no one be fired for self-quarantining or recovering from infection, and that if a worker loses their job for these reasons, they will be reinstated;
• Double the GST/HST credit to provide income support to low-income Canadians; and
• Increase the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) paid to low- and modest-income families.

“Single and vulnerable parents living paycheck to paycheck are going to struggle to pay rent and utilities if they have to scale back hours and turn down shifts to deal with the child care crisis. We know that these measures will disproportionately affect women.

“All across Canada, working people have been listening to public health authorities and doing their part to slow the spread of COVID-19—it is now time for Canada to support them.”

Read more: Supporting workers in a time of crisis — Key steps for governments and employers.

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“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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“We know that universal, public pharmacare will be less expensive and keep more people healthy and out of the hospital,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “For 7.5 million Canadians that are uninsured or underinsured, pharmacare won’t just change their lives, it can save them.”

Canada’s minority governments have a history of advancing public policies that have significantly improved the lives of millions of families. On top of pharmacare, labour activists are also pressing the need for a $15 federal minimum wage, protections for worker pensions and the ratification of ILO Convention 190 on ending violence and harassment at work.

“On C-190, Canada brought this to the ILO and we have an opportunity to show real leadership by becoming one of the first countries to ratify it,” said Yussuff.

The creation of a federal minimum wage for workers in federally regulated workplaces would lift up more than 70,000 workers. These workers have been without a minimum wage since 1996, it is long overdue.

It has also been too long that workers have been told they have to wait for the creditors to be paid before they get the pensions they are owed. The government needs to protect these workers so they can retire with confidence.

“This government has a historic opportunity, and mandate, to build a more progressive Canada,” added Yussuff. “When Canadian workers come together, our collective voice has real weight with decision-makers. Canada must grasp this opportunity to make pharmacare a reality and improve Canadians’ lives.”

The Canadian Labour Congress is the voice of Canada’s labour movement representing over 3 million union members who work in every industry across the country.

To arrange an interview, please contact:

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

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Every year since, communities across the country have mourned those, and innumerable others, lost to gender-based violence with a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.  

While recent federal initiatives have progressed the drive to end institutionalized violence and harassment, the solutions are a patchwork and not enough to address the systemic current crisis. That’s why Canada’s unions mark this important anniversary with a demand for our newly elected federal government: commit to action to end violence and harassment, hold perpetrators accountable and make Canada’s workplaces safe.

“Canada’s unions are calling on our government to commit to a national action plan that includes ratifying C-190—a new global Convention on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “It’s time for federal leadership that will set a standard for provinces and municipalities across the country.”

Earlier this year, the international community came together at the Centenary Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to adopt a new convention on violence and harassment in the workplace. C-190 is a historic convention that Canada’s government played an instrumental role in negotiating.

“Canada has an opportunity to be amongst the first countries in the world to ratify this convention,” said Clarke Walker, who served as Worker Vice-Chair, leading the negotiations on C-190 on behalf of the global trade union movement. “We mark today by remembering those lost to gender-based violence and by recommitting ourselves to the elimination of institutionalized violence and harassment. With leadership and action, we can end sexual harassment and violence in workplaces.”

For more information about the École Polytechnique Massacre and National Day of Remembrance, click here. And to stand in solidarity with communities across the country, find a December 6^th vigil near you.

Write to Prime Minister Trudeau today and urge him to make workplaces safe for everyone by ratifying C-190. 

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“From increasing health coverage, to tackling climate change, to improving working conditions, this new minority government has set benchmarks for success,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “Pharmacare has been an issue the CLC has been heavily advocating for over the last few years. Nobody should have to choose between paying for groceries and paying for medication they need—Canada is ready for universal pharmacare.”

In another move towards fairness, the throne speech announced the government’s intent to establish a federal minimum wage as a standard across Canada. This announcement comes as welcomed news to Canada’s unions and workers across Canada struggling at low-wage jobs.

“Not only will a federal minimum wage benefit tens of thousands of Canadians directly, it will put pressure on the provinces to follow suit,” added Yussuff. “Lifting people out of poverty, an increased minimum wage will have an important impact on the Canadian economy.”

Canada’s unions are also looking to the federal government to lead the way on finding the right balance between protecting jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Today’s commitments on climate change begin to transition Canada towards a more sustainable future.

“We need bold targets to fight climate change, we owe that to our children,” said Yussuff. “We also owe the next generation good jobs and commitments to minimize the impact on workers. Today’s commitments move us towards a greener economy.”

Creating protections for workers facing domestic violence has been a focus for the CLC over the past few years, working internationally to end gender-based violence.

“Building a national action plan on ending violence against women will go a long way,” added Yussuff.

Over the coming months, Canada’s unions will work with this minority government to ensure today’s commitments become a reality. The CLC is looking forward to getting to work building universal pharmacare and ensuring this government is building a fairer Canada for everyone.

For more information and to set up an interview, please contact:

media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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Convention C-190 was adopted at the Centenary Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) earlier this year. The ILO is the UN system’s only tripartite agency, bringing together governments, employers and workers to set labour standards, develop policies and create programs promoting decent work for all.

The ILO Convention is legally binding once it is ratified by a country. 

Convention C-190 and its supplementing Recommendation set out clear policies grounded in social dialogue and requiring an integrated, gender-responsive approach to the prevention and elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work.

“Over half of women in Canada will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime,” said CLC’s Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker. “We have made progress in recent years, and ratifying this convention will send a clear message that all workers have the right to a world of work free from violence and harassment.”

Join us in marking the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence by asking our Prime Minister to begin the process of ratifying Convention C-190 before the end of 2020.

Write to him now.

Since 1981, women’s rights advocates have marked November 25^th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. You can learn more about the history of this work here.

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Part-time jobs in Canada are typically low-wage with no benefits. The gap between part-time and full-time wage earners currently sits at approximately $9 per hour, which disproportionately affects women who account for 75 percent of Canada’s part-time workers.

“With child care identified as a barrier to full-time employment and women shouldering most of the lost earnings, it’s clear that Canada needs a national child care strategy,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “It has been proven again and again that access to child care is a key determinant to improving gender equality. Canada’s unions stand ready to work with governments across the country to build a truly universal, affordable and inclusive child care system.”

Improving women’s employment means addressing the barriers facing the most vulnerable groups of women, and putting in place services and programs that address the systemic roots of discrimination and inequality.

“This government has taken important steps in the process of creating quality, accessible child care,” added Yussuff. “With women making up a significant majority of workers in undervalued and low-wage sectors, there is much more progress we must make toward real equality. Strengthening our child care system would be a good first step.” 

Read the full Labour Market Snapshot here.

For more information and to set up an interview, please contact:

media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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The World Day for Decent Work is a global day of action for trade unions around the world. The theme for 2019, Investing in care for gender equality, recognizes that work in the care sector remains significantly undervalued, despite a growing demand.

The majority of workers who provide care for children, sick or elderly adults or people with disabilities are women. Many care workers are racialized, new to Canada, or working here temporarily.

Canada’s low investment in care, with the expectation that women will care for loved ones, unpaid, is a huge barrier to increasing women’s workforce participation, to tackling the gender pay gap and to achieving equality between women and men at work and in society.

Care work is characterized by poor pay and bad working conditions. These jobs are often precarious, offer little to no benefits or job security, involve long hours and heavy, challenging workloads.

Workers in the care sector experience astonishingly high rates of violence and harassment, including physical and sexual violence. Many care jobs are informal, leaving workers without the protection of employment or health and safety legislation, access to employment insurance or CPP.

A task force on care work would:

• Examine paid and unpaid care work;
• Develop a federal strategy to meet the increasing demands for care;
• Reduce and redistribute women’s unpaid care work by improving access to public care services; and
• Create a labour market strategy for care jobs.

Investing in the care economy by providing universal and affordable access to care services would double down on the benefits to gender equality in Canada – by creating good jobs for women with fair compensation and safe, decent working conditions, and by making it possible for more women to get a decent job and support their families.

Without a significant investment in our already-stretched public care services, women will most likely be left to pick up the slack.

It’s time to build and grow the care sector and promote decent work for care workers.

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This October 4, Canada’s unions are echoing calls from Indigenous families, communities and organizations for the implementation of all 231 Calls for Justice from the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

“The tireless efforts and painful testimony of Indigenous families, communities and organizations demands immediate attention,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer for the Canadian Labour Congress. “With less than three weeks left in the federal election campaign, unions are calling on all parties to commit to developing an action plan to carry out the report’s recommendations.”  

The inquiry’s final report was delivered on June 3 after three years of powerful testimonies from 2,000 individuals and their families who have experience tragedy. These emotional testimonies were shared during dozens of community meetings across the country.

It includes 231 Calls for Justice, which include the immediate transformation of Indigenous policing, review and amendments to the Criminal Code, and other crucial steps that would make this country a safer place for Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people.

“On October 4, we will be on Parliament Hill, standing in solidarity with all Indigenous families, communities and organizations demanding action to end violence against Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people,” said Clarke Walker.

People across Canada can show their support for the implementation of the National Inquiry’s Calls for Justice by attending a vigil in their community.

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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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Earlier this month, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) released its final report, including 231 Calls for Justice to address the alarming rate of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. To date, no implementation plans have been outlined to address these Calls for Justice.

“First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples have endured extreme abuse and neglect for generations. It is our collective national shame and we must take deliberate steps to right the wrongs of the past. Reconciliation mustn’t wait any longer. Now we must work towards a fairer future through action,” says Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s unions support Indigenous communities’ calls to:

• Establish a National Council for Reconciliation with adequate, multi-year funding to measure, monitor and report on progress; and
• Develop and implement an action plan to address the MMIWG report Calls for Justice.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission released a comprehensive report on the brutal legacy of colonialism and its impact on First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples in 2015. The report included 94 Calls to Action. While there has been some progress, 28 calls to action have not yet been addressed.

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Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), serves as the Worker Spokesperson and will continue as a key leader in the effort to strengthen obligations to end violence and harassment at work.

Representatives of the ILO’s 188 member states will be meeting from June 10 to 22, 2019 to negotiate the ILO’s Centennial Declaration. The ILO Centenary provides an important moment to look back and celebrate the ILO’s history and achievements, but also to reaffirm its social justice mandate. Workers are calling for a new Social Contract that guarantees a fair deal for all working people to change the current model of globalisation that puts profit ahead of working people. The thematic focus for the event is the “Future of Work,” aiming to respond to the global drivers of change, including global economic policy, climate change and technology.

This year, discussions will lead to the development of a specific Convention and a Recommendation aiming to end violence and harassment in the world of work. This Convention would be a legally binding international treaty, which, when ratified by ILO member states, would commit them to apply the Convention in national law and practice, while a Recommendation is a guideline providing more details on its application. Worker representatives are advocating for language to enshrine the right for all people to a work environment free from violence and harassment. A priority focus will be on gender-based violence, reflecting the prevailing gender inequalities in the world of work and that victims of violence and harassment are overwhelmingly women.

The CLC’s Marie Clarke Walker was appointed last year to serve the two-year term as the Worker Spokesperson on the ILO Standard Setting Committee. Her role in the Committee is that of chief negotiator representing workers. Two weeks of intense discussions aim to lead towards a consensus with concerned parties on the language for new instruments on ending violence and harassment in the world of work.

“There can be no decent work with violence at work,” said Clarke Walker. “Few countries provide protection against violence in the workplace, especially gender-based violence. A strong ILO Convention and Recommendation are important instruments to recognize and close this gap.”

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The numbers are staggering.

More than 800 million women globally have experienced some form of violence and harassment, ranging from physical assault to verbal abuse, bullying and intimidation, according to the International Trade Union Confederation.

Here in Canada, a 2018 Angus Reid study found that 1 in 2 women reported experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace. Two-thirds of women told pollsters that they were personally impacted by the #MeToo movement.

Indeed, #MeToo and similar movements have helped expose the scale of the problem in the world of work, encouraging women to speak out and demand justice. While women are overwhelmingly and disproportionately affected, men are not immune. And discrimination against certain groups exacerbates violence and harassment.

A study by Canada’s federal government found that 94% of complaints of sexual harassment in federal workplaces were made by women. The study found that women with disabilities or who were a member of a visible minority were more likely to experience harassment.

In response to the overwhelming evidence of this phenomenon, the federal government passed Bill C-65 last year with the input of unions and employers. The legislation focuses on prevention, effective responses and support for affected employees.

This was an important step. However, no sector, whether formal or informal, public, private or voluntary is immune to this scourge. There are far too many workplaces in which workers are continuously at risk, with few safeguards or supports. This is one of the main reasons Canada’s unions launched a campaign called #DoneWaiting in 2018, which includes a call to end violence and sexual harassment at work.

In particular, higher rates of violence and harassment are consistently recorded in sectors such as transport, health and social care, hotel and restaurant, media and entertainment, agriculture, and in domestic work. Violence and harassment at work can come from managers, supervisors, co-workers, customers and clients. Furthermore, research conducted by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the University of Western Ontario found that 1 in 3 workers have experienced domestic violence, another form of violence that can impact them at work.

It can happen at the physical workplace, at work-related social events or training, while getting to and from work, or anywhere the worker is required to be because of her or his work. Abusive workplace practices can also contribute to the toll of violence and harassment, with work-related stress and mental illness at an all-time high.

There is a window of opportunity to take decisive action to hold employers accountable, across sectors.

This month, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations (UN) agency responsible for setting global legal standards for working conditions, will complete negotiations on a new law to prohibit, prevent and remedy violence and harassment. The aim is to ratify a global treaty during the ILO’s centenary conference taking place between June 10-21.

If the negotiations are successful, the new international law will place clear responsibilities on employers and governments for tackling violence and harassment in the world of work. Workers, too, will have responsibilities to refrain from acts of violence and harassment and to comply with any policies, procedures or other steps taken by their employers to prevent it.

While there are differences to settle on the final content of the new law, there is broad support for its adoption amongst trade unions, governments and some employers.

Negotiations with companies include introducing or strengthening measures like paid leave for victims of domestic violence, providing easy access to information, advice or counselling, and flexible working hours to minimise the risk of stalking by violent ex-partners.

Violence and harassment in the world of work is a global problem, requiring global solutions.

The negotiations at the ILO are timely, not least, as the UN agency celebrates 100 years of its existence this year. Trade unions were campaigning for this new law long before the painful revelations of #MeToo. Our government and employers must now play their part in making this a reality.

No one should go to work fearing for their safety and well-being.

Marie Clarke Walker is the Secretary-Treasurer of the CLC.

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The report, released today, follows three years of painful testimonies from 2000 affected individuals and their families, shared during dozens of community meetings across the country.

“The final report calls what is happening to Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people a ‘genocide’,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

“Indigenous women remain six times more likely than non-Indigenous women to experience gender-based violence in Canada,” noted Walker. “This report must be the blueprint for an urgent action plan to address this national shame.”

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to:

• develop an action plan to implement the report’s recommendations;
• fully implement S-3, An Act to Amend the Indian Act; and
• pass Bill C-262, An Act to ensure that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The report offers sweeping recommendations, including the immediate transformation of Indigenous policing, review and amendments to the Criminal Code to eliminate definitions of offences that minimize the culpability of the offender, and other crucial solutions to make this country a safer place for Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people.

“Canada’s unions will continue to consult with their working groups and community partners to develop an internal strategy and plan of action to support Indigenous communities,” added Walker.

The CLC and many of its affiliates have been closely monitoring and engaged with the inquiry’s process since its launch in 2015.

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“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.

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Now a favourite anthem of the labour movement around the world, James Oppenheim was inspired to write the poem by a slogan “Bread for all, and Roses, too”. When his poem was published again in 1912, the slogan was attributed to women trade unionists – and the association stuck.

Oppenheim’s poem was also associated with the 1912 Lawrence textile strike, often referred to as the “Bread and Roses” strike. Led by immigrant women workers, the strike developed new tactics that have become standard procedures in labour disputes, among them the moving picket line to get around loitering charges.

It received a new lease on life with the resurgence of the women’s movement in the late 1960s and the interest in the role played by women in trade union history. In 1974, Mimi Fariña composed the now familiar tune that has become a standard for women in the labour movement.

In Canada, the slogan was reborn as the theme of the “Bread and Roses March” and the “World March of Women” that it inspired.

The first Bread and Roses March, an initiative of the Fédération des femmes du Québec, began on 26 May 1995. Over the course of 10 days, more than 800 Québécoise demonstrators set off from Montréal, Longueuil and Rivière-du-Loup and converged on Québec City with nine demands of the government to combat poverty.

The theme song of the march, Du pain et des roses, composed by Hélène Pedneault and Marie-Claire Séguin remains an anthem of the labour movements of Quebec and Canada.
BREAD AND ROSES

As we go marching, marching, in the beauty of the day
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses
For the people hear us singing, bread and roses, bread and roses.

As we come marching, marching, we battle too, for men,
For they are in the struggle and together we shall win.
Our days shall not be sweated from birth until life closes,
Hearts starve as well as bodies, give us bread, but give us roses.

As we come marching, marching, un-numbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient call for bread,
Small art and love and beauty their trudging spirits knew
Yes, it is bread we. fight for, but we fight for roses, too.

As we go marching, marching, we’re standing proud and tall.
The rising of the women means the rising of us all.
No more the drudge and idler, ten that toil where one reposes,
But a sharing of life’s glories, bread and roses, bread and roses.

—–

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This year, Canada’s unions are taking action to specifically address gender-based violence in the workplace. Violence and harassment are a daily reality for far too many workers in Canada. The #MeToo movement has demonstrated how gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, remain a significant barrier for women, trans and gender diverse workers. Canada’s unions are calling for government action to prevent and stop violence and harassment at work.

Globally, Canada’s unions have united behind the effort to negotiate a new convention at the International Labour Organization (ILO). This binding convention would hold governments and employers accountable for preventing and addressing all forms of violence and harassment at work.

“This important convention establishes a common understanding of what harassment and violence is, how it manifests at work, and who faces greater risk or is most vulnerable to its effects. It will help drive government regulation and employer action,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer, Marie Clarke Walker. Walker is the worker spokesperson for the negotiations.

In Canada, governments are now recognizing gender-based harassment and violence as an issue that requires action in every workplace. Earlier this fall, workers in the federal sector and those living in Newfoundland and Labrador won paid domestic violence leave. That brings to five the number of provinces where paid domestic violence leave exists.

But there still remains much work to do.

Over the next 16 days, the CLC will encourage online actions through our #DoneWaiting campaign to keep up the pressure on elected officials to make further progress on these issues.

The CLC will host two interactive video events during the 16 days of action.

• “Building Consent Culture in Workplaces” Facebook live discussion on November 26 at 6:00 p.m. EST. Register here.
• “How to Win Paid Domestic Violence Leave” webinar on December 3 at 12:00 p.m. EST. Register here.

To learn about events and vigils in your community, visit this 16 days of action calendar of events.

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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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The Canadian Labour Congress is conducting campaigns calling on the federal government to address key issues affecting working people; calling for a change of the rules to create decent work and dignity for all Canadians.

“Improving the lives of all workers is always a top priority for Canada’s unions. The current climate of precarity and cut backs in Canada makes it more important than ever to advocate for good jobs to ensure stability and dignity for every Canadian worker,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “We believe that decent work must include access to affordable child care, bankruptcy protection for workers’ pensions and proactive pay equity legislation, just to name a few.”

On this Day for Decent Work, Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to prioritize access to decent work in Canada by taking the following steps:

• Restore the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, indexing it to wage growth, and bring back full employment as a primary policy target;
• End wage discrimination and adopt strong, proactive pay equity legislation incorporating the recommendations of the 2004 Pay Equity Task Force. Women’s wages shouldn’t come at a discount, but the gender pay gap in Canada hasn’t improved in decades. In fact, for many women it’s getting worse. Making pay equity the law would ensure different jobs are compared for their value in the workplace and evaluated based on skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions, leaving no room for gender discrimination;
• Reform bankruptcy laws to include protection for workers’ pensions and benefits.  Workers trade higher wages today in exchange for a pension in retirement – it’s wrong to force them to the back of the line when an employer goes bankrupt;
• Make workplaces safe by strengthening federal legislation on sexual harassment and violence. Sexual harassment and violence remains a very serious barrier to women’s equality, especially in the workplace. Sexual harassment and violence can have serious consequences on women’s physical, emotional and mental health, and on their work performance. It can compromise their ability to advance in the workplace and even lead to job loss;
• Fix the child care crisis and commit to long-term funding for high-quality, public, universal, affordable child care. Access to quality, affordable child care is about economic justice for women. Child care makes it possible for women to get a decent job, support their families, build a career, and further their education or skills training; and
• Phase-out coal power through progressive policy that keeps people and communities at the center. The Just Transition Task Force for Canadian Coal-Power Workers and Communities will develop recommendations aimed at influencing Canada’s plans to phase-out coal power. These will include helping workers find comparable employment through retraining programs and resources to help affected communities transition their local economy.

Decent work means equal opportunities for everyone to get work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development, and social integration.

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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.

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War brings out the worst in people and part of the propaganda of government in war time is to play on fear; fear of the “other”, fear of the “unknown”. During the First World War it was radical groups and publications, many whose membership came from Eastern Europe, that were targeted.

Within weeks of the start of the war in August 1914, Canada’s parliament passed the War Measures Act. In 1916, the press censorship was introduced by an Order-In-Council. In total of the 253 publications banned during the war, 164 were in a language other than French or English. But it was the 1917 Russian Revolution, and its withdrawal from the war, that caused the Canadian government to crack down harder on any social dissent.

By Order-in-Council PC2384, the federal government outlawed political and labour groups, focusing on German, Russian, Ukrainian and Polish speakers. It banned freedom of association, assembly, and speech for many Canadians.

One of the labour groups banned was the radical Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), or as they were known “Wobblies”.  This industrial union organization had been founded in 1905 in Chicago and quickly spread across North America. By 1906, the first Canadian chapters had been formed in B.C.

The IWW espoused the idea that workers should all be in one union as opposed to the tradition of Trades. It organized all workers including women and workers of colour. It organized unskilled laborers, the poor, and recent immigrants, all who were often on the margins of society. The IWW believed in “revolutionary syndicalism” where, once organized, workers would initiate a general strike and replace capitalism with a society run by workers. The Wobblies also opposed the First World War and the price paid by working people and, as a result, became an enemy of Prime Minister Robert Borden and the Canadian government.

On September 24, 1918, Borden’s government made membership in the Industrial Workers of the World and thirteen other (primarily ethnic radical political organizations) illegal. The maximum sentence for membership in the IWW, or affiliation with the banned organizations, was five years to be served in one of 24 internment camps.

The ideas of the Wobblies were harder to stop, however. When western Canadian workers formed an organization called the One Big Union (OBU) in 1919, its ideas were closely aligned with those of the IWW. Today every time “Solidarity Forever” is sung on a picket line or at a union convention the IWW spirit lives on because that was their song!

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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.

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In 1994, Françoise David took the helm of the Québec Women’s Federation (FFQ) with a mission to advance the fight against poverty and social exclusion.

To put pressure on the newly elected government of Jacques Parizeau, David organized a mass march, branded “Bread and Roses”. Bread symbolizing work and better economic conditions and roses symbolizing a better quality of life – the theme was a deliberate tribute to the 1912 textile workers’ strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts that was lead by women and inspired generations of union and social justice organizers.

David’s plan was to use the march to build public support for a list of demands that included increasing the minimum wage, pay equity laws, freezing tuition fees, greater social supports and improved collection of support payments.

Starting May 26, 1995, women from across Québec spent ten days marching to the provincial capital. They marched through 57 villages and followed three routes from Montréal, Longueil and Rivière-du-Loup. More than 800 women joined the march for more than one day, including 525 women who marched the 250 km from Montréal to Québec City. They converged at a rally on June 4 outside the province’s National Assembly.

The government agreed to most of the marchers’ demands, in one form or another, and put Québec well ahead of other provinces on many issues from pay equity, to child care.

The theme song of the march, Du pain et des roses, composed by Hélène Pedneault and Marie-Claire Séguin remains an anthem of the labour movements of Quebec and Canada.

The solidarity of the march inspired the 2000 “World March of Women” that continues to this day as an international project aimed at improving the lives of women around the world. Its focus on ending poverty and violence against women built solidarity and laid the foundation for work that many of Canada’s unions continue today.

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While it may take some time to uncover the motivation behind this heinous act of violence, we can take comfort in the incredible outpouring of support for the families of the 10 deceased and numerous others who were injured in Monday’s assault.

Our thanks go to the courageous first responders who played such a significant role in bringing order, safety and support to a very chaotic downtown crime scene.

Our hearts are with the people of Toronto as they mourn the loss of the innocent victims to this tragedy.

Our actions, as they should, express love in the face of violence.

The post CLC President Hassan Yussuff: Our hearts are with the people of Toronto appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

On April 24, 2013, over one thousand garment workers were killed or injured when the Rana Plaza factory collapsed. Investigations showed that working conditions in the building did not meet safety standards. The tragedy highlighted the human rights abuses and substandard conditions that continue to plague the textile industry.

“Canadian companies have a responsibility to ensure that the products they produce are made ethically,” said Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “Canadians do not want to compromise the safety and dignity of workers in exchange for a cheap t-shirt. That’s not who we are.”

Basic human rights

Canadian unions are advocating that workers in Bangladesh, and anywhere along a supply chain, are:

• Treated fairly and with respect at work;
• Paid a living wage;
• Able to exercise their rights to form unions and bargain collectively;
• Working in safe factories.

Soon after the tragedy, dozens of companies operating in Bangladesh signed a five-year legally binding agreement called the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. The agreement has been renewed for three more years and aims to ensure that factories are inspected regularly and that minimum safety standards are maintained. It also protects the rights of workers to organize.

Corporate accountability

The CLC calls on the Canadian corporations operating in Bangladesh to sign the Accord. There are over 140 signatories from around the world, including Canadian owned Loblaws. The full list can be found here.

More recently, Canada’s federal government announced it will appoint an ombudsperson to ensure Canadian corporations respect their human rights obligations abroad.

“Canada can and must be a champion of all workers. That requires making sure that our corporations are held to account for any human rights abuses,” said Yussuff.

Taking action

Several CLC affiliates will be holding events this Monday, April 23 to encourage Canadian companies including Walmart and the Canadian Tire owned stores of Mark’s, Sports Experts, and Sport Chek to commit to transparency about their supply chains.

Canadians who want to participate should visit the United Steelworkers (USW) campaign page here and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) here.

Supporting workers

Since 2016, the CLC and several affiliates have been supporting the Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity in its effort to strengthen labour rights in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment sector. The project is supported by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), UFCW, Ontario Secondary School Teacher Federation (OSSTF) and USW. It runs until 2019.

The CLC is also a member of the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability, along with over 30 other unions and human rights, environmental, faith-based and solidarity groups. Union members of the coalition include CUPE, Unifor, USW, PSAC and the British Columbia Teachers Federation (BCTF).

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_{**Above – an excerpt from She Never Was Afraid: The Biography of Annie Buller, by Louise Watson. Photo: Wikipedia.}

“Annie Buller, married name Guralnick, political activist, union organizer (b in Ukraine 9 Dec 1895; d at Toronto 19 Jan 1973). Her Jewish parents immigrated to Montréal when she was a child. During WWI she became active in the Socialist Youth Movement, and after studying Marxism at the Rand School of Social Sciences, New York, established the Montréal Labour College with Becky Buhay and Bella Gauld. She joined the Communist Party of Canada in 1922 and devoted herself to full-time party organizing and managing party publications.

“In the early 1920s she went to Cape Breton to organize mine workers. After returning to Toronto, where her son Jim was born, she organized for the communist-led Industrial Needle Trades Workers Union in the early 1930s. While serving on the IUNTW executive board, she helped lead a general strike of Toronto dressmakers in 1931. That same year, she organized support for coal miners in Estevan, Sask. After a riot in which 3 strikers were killed by the RCMP (see Estevan Coal Miners Strike, 1931), Buller was jailed. While working as a business manager for the communist paper The Western Clarion in 1939, she was again arrested and interned until 1942.

“After the war she concentrated on party organizing, managing party publications such as the Tribune and National Affairs. She also participated in the party’s National Women’s Commission and the Housewives’ Association campaign to roll back prices. She retired from full-time party work in the late 1950s but remained politically active until her death.”

Source: http://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/annie-buller/

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The campaign is an opportunity to reflect on the impact of gender-based violence on our lives, work and communities, and to take action to eliminate it. In Canada, unions and many other organizations hold events and actions on December 6, the day set aside to remember the women murdered at Montréal’s École Polytechnique in 1989.

This year, in the wake of #MeToo and in recognition that too many women experience sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence at work, the Canadian Labour Congress is issuing a challenge to governments, to unions, and to men in the labour movement.

It’s time to up our game.

“If we are truly going to eliminate violence against women, men need to step up,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “We need to acknowledge our complicity in perpetuating a culture that tolerates toxic masculinity. Men need to own up to our own behaviour and hold ourselves and each other accountable. And we need to make a commitment to change – in our workplaces, but also in our own organizations.”

The CLC has developed a partnership with the producers of the documentary film A Better Man. The film portrays a series of conversations between a survivor of domestic violence and her former abuser. It is a powerful film, intended to provoke conversations about accountability, healing, and the possibility of restorative justice.

On November 24, the CLC will launch a discussion guide for unions, using the film as a launching point for a broader conversation about domestic violence and how individuals, unions, and workplaces can act to break the silence and end the cycle of violence.

“We are encouraging union members – and especially men – to watch the film, and to talk about their reactions, whether it’s on social media, at a union event or around the kitchen table with friends and neighbours,” said Yussuff. “We also want to make sure that talk leads to action, to change in behaviour and to change in legislation.”

Following on our groundbreaking survey on Domestic Violence at Work, the CLC has taken action by:

• Launching an education program to empower union representatives to recognize and respond to domestic violence at work, to promote awareness of the issue in workplaces, and to help keep members safe and supported at work.
• Developing collective bargaining language to assist unions in negotiating workplace supports, including paid domestic violence leave and women’s advocates.
• Lobbying governments in all jurisdictions to amend health and safety legislation to recognize domestic violence as a form of workplace violence (as is the case in Ontario), and to follow Manitoba’s example and amend employment standards to give all workers paid domestic violence leave.
• Working with the global labour movement to press for an international labour standard on violence and harassment in the world of work.

The work of union members, unions, and federations of labour has seen results. Ontario will join Manitoba in establishing five paid days of domestic violence leave, and discussions are underway in a number of other jurisdictions. Legislation on harassment and violence in the federal sector was recently tabled, and the latest Budget Implementation Act establishes unpaid family violence leave. Canada’s unions will continue to push for this leave to be paid, and for harassment and violence legislation to clearly define and establish processes to address harassment and violence at work.

On November 25, watch A Better Man on TVO or stream it on TVO.org. Visit our online resource centre to download the discussion guide. Throughout the 16 Days of Action, follow @CanadianLabour for tips and tools, and participate in the conversation using hashtags #16Days and #DVatWork.

The post #16Days: Take Action to End Gender-Based Violence appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

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.

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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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What is “decent work”?

• Access for all workers to quality jobs, dignity, equality, and safe working conditions.

• Putting workers at the centre of development and giving them a voice in what they do.

This year’s global focus is on struggles to win living minimum wages and a pay raise for all workers.

The Canadian Labour Congress has outlined steps Canada needs to take in a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, outlining several steps the federal government can take to ensure better access to decent work at home and abroad.

“We need federal leadership on decent work, not just so that we improve work for Canadians, but so we can set an example for other countries too,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

What our federal government can do

• Ensure the creation of high-quality jobs needed by millions of unemployed, underemployed, and precariously-employed workers in Canada.

• Promote and uphold collective bargaining rights at home and abroad.

• Restore the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, indexing it to wage growth, and bring back full employment as a primary policy target.

• Create public employment programs for regions and populations with high unemployment or a high concentration of low-wage workers. That should include job creation programs for youth, Indigenous and Northern communities, newcomers to Canada, Alberta and the Atlantic provinces;

• Commit to long-term funding for high-quality, public, universal, affordable child care;

• Adopt strong, proactive pay equity legislation incorporating the recommendations of the 2004 Pay Equity Task Force;

• Use all available tools to eliminate discrimination in hiring, promotion, and pay, including strengthening the Employment Equity Act and the Federal Contractors Program;

• Introduce paid sick leave and paid leave for victims of domestic violence for workers in the federal jurisdiction, and encourage provinces and territories to follow suit;

• End the systematic violation of migrant workers’ rights by abolishing tied work permits and implementing a proactive compliance assessment and enforcement regime;

• Promote fairness by tightening regulations on hours of work and scheduling;

• Increase staffing, training and resources for federal employment standards and health and safety inspectors; and

• Improve the Wage Earner Protection Program to better protect wages when employers go bankrupt or simply disappear.

Canada’s unions are also asking the federal government to promote decent work in global supply chains and the extractive sectors by:

• Appointing a human rights ombudsperson to investigate how Canadian companies’ foreign operations impact human rights;

• Introducing national due diligence legislation with a monitoring mechanism and an enforcement procedure for large companies.

The post October 7 is the World Day for Decent Work 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.

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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.

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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 TWLH-Oct-1 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Le gouvernement de l’Ontario a annoncé un Cadre stratégique renouvelé pour la petite enfance et les services de garde d’enfants qui comprend un engagement à rendre les services de garde à l’enfance plus accessibles et à rendre leur prix plus abordable pour toutes les familles, notamment par l’investissement dans de nouvelles places en garderie et l’expansion du secteur sans but lucratif.

Le gouvernement fédéral est censé publier sous peu le détail de son Cadre national sur l’apprentissage et la garde des jeunes enfants. Le budget fédéral de cette année prévoit une affectation de 7 milliards de dollars en 10 ans pour l’apprentissage et la garde des jeunes enfants.

« Nous sommes particulièrement heureux de voir le gouvernement de l’Ontario donner la priorité à l’accès universel et nous espérons que le cadre fédéral assurera la même approche aux familles de toutes les provinces et des trois territoires », a déclaré Hassan Yussuff, président du CTC.

Le cadre du gouvernement de l’Ontario comprend bon nombre d’éléments que le CTC et ses alliés jugent indispensables à tout système d’apprentissage et de garde des jeunes enfants, y compris les suivants :

• Donner à toutes les familles qui en ont besoin l’accès à des services de qualité fournis par des organismes publics ou sans but lucratif;
• Rendre les prix des services de garde à l’enfance plus abordables;
• Voir à ce que le personnel des garderies ait des salaires et des conditions de travail décents;
• S’assurer que le système des services de garde à l’enfance soit inclusif pour les enfants ayant des besoins spéciaux.

Le CTC et ses alliés ont incité le gouvernement fédéral à annoncer un cadre qui ouvre la voie à la création d’un système bien conçu de services de garde à l’enfance qui permet de tenir compte de la diversité des besoins plutôt que d’adopter une approche unique.

« Il s’agit d’établir des régimes inclusifs fournissant des services de qualité à prix abordable dans l’ensemble du Canada », a déclaré M. Yussuff. « Nous devons en outre adopter une stratégie de mise en valeur de la main-d’œuvre portant sur les salaires, les conditions de travail, le recrutement et la formation. »

The post Le gouvernement fédéral doit suivre l’exemple de l’Ontario en rendant les services de garde à l’enfance universellement accessibles appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The Ontario government has announced a renewed Early Years and Child Care Policy Framework that pledges to make child care more accessible and affordable to all families, including a plan to invest in new child care spaces and a pledge to grow the non-profit sector.

The federal government is expected to release details about its own National Early Learning and Child Care Framework soon. This year’s federal budget pledged $7 billion over 10 years for early learning and child care.

“We are especially pleased to see that the Ontario government make universal access a priority and we hope the federal government’s framework will ensure the same approach for families in all provinces and territories,” said CLC President, Hassan Yussuff.

The Ontario government’s framework included many of the elements the CLC and its allies say are crucial to any child care and early childhood education system, specifically:

• Access to high quality, public and not-for-profit child care for all families who need it;
• Making child care more affordable;
• Ensuring that child care workers have decent wages and working conditions; and
• Ensuring the child care system is inclusive of children with special needs.

The CLC and its allies have called on the federal government to announce a framework that paves the way for a well-designed child care system that takes into account the diversity of needs: not a one-size-fits-all approach.

“The goal must be affordable, inclusive, high-quality child care systems across Canada,” said Yussuff. “We also need a workforce development strategy that addresses wages and working conditions, as well as recruiting and training.”

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“Since the last election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly stated his support for gender equality and declared himself a feminist,” said Canadian Labour Congress Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Byers. “But it’s 2017 and Canadian women are still waiting for some basic changes.”

“A feminist government means implementing concrete actions that deal with the economic inequality Canadian women experience on a daily basis,” Byers stated.

Byers acknowledged Trudeau’s government has made some advances, including appointing a Cabinet where 50% of Ministers are women, reinstating some funding for women’s organizations, and beginning a national inquiry on missing and murdered Indigenous women. But on several key actions, she said, the government continues to drag its feet.

“Feminism means getting things done. So this International Women’s Day, we’re asking our government to do these three things in 2017,” Byers stated.

1. Let’s get proactive pay equity legislation tabled.

• Pay equity is equal pay for work of equal value. It compares the value of different occupations to fix the unfair reality that results in lower wages for jobs traditionally performed by women.

• The work is already done. In 2004, a Pay Equity Task Force carried out an exhaustive study on the issue and made 113 concrete recommendations for action.

• So why wait? The Canadian government says it is committed to tabling legislation, but not until the end of 2018. But the work is already done, and unions and other experts are ready to help draft the legislation, so why wait? Let’s get this done in 2017.

2. Let’s get a national child care framework signed and funded.

• Child care helps parents, particularly women, take part in the labour force. We all benefit when people can go to work knowing their kids have a safe place to play and learn. It’s good for women, it’s good for kids, and it’s good for the economy. But in Canada, it’s hard to find and afford. 

• The Liberals promised a new child care deal with the provinces and territories. We need that deal and funding to provinces and territories to ensure all Canadian families can access quality, affordable child care. Let’s get this done in 2017.

3. Let’s get paid domestic violence leave into the Labour Code.

• Domestic violence doesn’t stay at home. It follows people to work, putting jobs and safety at risk. One in three workers in Canada has experienced domestic violence in their lifetime, and more than half say they experienced violence at or near their workplace.

• Paid domestic violence leave can help keep victims safe. It means being able to take the time to deal with police or lawyers, get new bank accounts, and find a new place to live – without worrying about losing their job.

• Manitoba’s government recently passed a law giving all workers the right to five paid days of domestic violence leave – the first of its kind in Canada. Now we need the federal government to do the same with the federal Labour Code. Let’s get this done in 2017.

How you can help:

• Watch and share our new video, which highlights some of the above-mentioned problems and shows how ridiculous it is that they haven’t yet been fixed. Use the hashtag #whywait.
• Send an email to your MP using our simple online form.

The post So you want to be a feminist government? Here are three simple steps you can take! appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

By Barb Byers and Marie Clarke Walker

On Saturday, January 21, 2017, people of all genders, ages, races, abilities, backgrounds, and orientations will take part in the Women’s March on Washington and solidarity marches in more than 380 cities around the world. Barb will be marching in Vancouver, Marie will be in Toronto, and we wanted to tell you more about why we’re marching.

We march because we are inspired by the truly grassroots beginnings of this day of action, and the principles outlined by the organizers. Like them, we believe in building a world where violence against women, racial profiling, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of violence and discrimination, have no place in our homes, workplaces or communities.  

Canada’s unions know that gender, racial, and economic justice are inextricably linked. We march because, as the vision statement says, “We must create a society in which women—in particular Black women, Native women, poor women, immigrant women, Muslim women, and queer and trans women—are free and able to care for and nurture their families, however they are formed, in safe and healthy environments free from structural impediments.”

We know women are disproportionately represented in low-wage, precarious work, so we march for decent work – including $15 and fairness, and equal pay for work of equal value. 

To address the (still) unequal burden of women’s unpaid work, we need strong public services. So we march for universal child care that gives all children a fair start and helps parents balance work and family; health care that doesn’t discriminate – including sexual and reproductive health care; services and supports for those living with illness or disability; affordable housing and accessible public transportation. 

We march for truth, reconciliation, and justice for Indigenous people and to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

We march for a fairer future for our children, where they will have clean air and water, good jobs, and the freedom to be themselves.  

We march to defend rights we already have, and to gain rights we have not won. We do not yet live in a world where all people, regardless of gender, gender identity or expression, sexuality, disability, race or ethnicity, religion, migrant status, Indigenous status, family status or other social identity, enjoy equal opportunities and rights and the ability to participate in the economy, culture, and political decision-making. 

Until we do, we must strive to break down systemic barriers to promote inclusion and to ensure that the voices of those who are marginalized are amplified and heard. 

We hope many of you will march too in your own communities on Saturday to support the message that women’s rights are human rights. Find a march near you at https://www.womensmarch.com/sisters and use the hashtag #WhyWeMarch to let others know why you march.

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UN Women’s mandate focuses on five key priorities: increasing women’s leadership and participation, ending violence against women, engaging women in all aspects of peace and security processes, enhancing women’s economic empowerment and making gender equality central to national development planning and budgeting.

“It is a tremendous honour to be asked to join this group and I hope to continue to build on the work that’s already been done on these issues,” said Byers. “I know so many skilled, competent and energetic trade union women, so I take great pride in being able to represent them,” said Byers.

The CSAG brings together internationally renowned feminist leaders from women’s rights organizations, male gender equality networks, youth and LGBTQ groups, trade unions and media, and will play an advisory role to the UN Women Executive Director for the 2017-2019 term.

“It is important that the voices of women workers be heard, and it is important for unions to be part of this conversation. This group is made up of various representatives from civil society under the common goal of promoting gender equality and strengthening the international women’s movement,” said Byers.

The post Barbara Byers appointed to UN Women advisory group appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

In March, the Province of Manitoba enacted Bill 8, which amended their employment standards to afford workers who are victims of domestic violence with eligibility for five days of paid, protected employment leave (and additional unpaid time) if they need time away from work – whether it is to access medical attention or counselling, seek legal or law enforcement assistance, relocate, or obtain services from victim services organizations.

“This kind of leave is potentially life-saving,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Barb Byers, “Someone leaving a violent relationship shouldn’t have to fear losing their job or basic income.”

Paid safe time, or domestic violence leave, is well established in collective agreements in Australia and in legislation in several US jurisdictions. Ontario’s legislature is currently considering a private member’s bill that would grant 10 days paid leave to victims of domestic or sexual violence.

Canadian work on this issue started three years ago, when the Canadian Labour Congress partnered with researchers at the University of Western Ontario on a ground-breaking national study. The research found that one in three workers has experienced domestic violence, and the violence often follows people to work, putting safety and jobs at risk.

Since then, unions across the country have been working to negotiate domestic violence supports into collective agreements, and change legislation to support non-union workers who face domestic violence. For example, in 2012, unions and community allies were successful in getting the Ontario government to amend their Occupational Health and Safety Act to name domestic violence as a form of workplace violence.

Now, unions are urging other governments to follow Ontario’s example, updating health and safety legislation to ensure it recognizes the impact domestic violence has on workplaces, and encourages employers to protect workers from domestic violence at work.

In these efforts, the Canadian Labour Congress is connecting with provincial and territorial federations of labour to coordinate their work, such as by drafting joint letters to governments urging action.

In 2017, the Canadian Labour Congress will be taking additional steps to tackle domestic violence in the workplace, in Canada and abroad.

Here at home, the CLC will be rolling out a series of workshops designed to equip union representatives and leaders with tools to respond to domestic violence at work and refer workers to appropriate work and community support.

“We are working to implement a vision where we have hundreds of union members across the country working to address domestic violence at work at individual and systemic levels,” Byers said.

The CLC, together with Western University’s researcher partners, has also established an international Domestic Violence at Work Network, which includes unions, employers, governments, researchers, service providers and other experts. Network members share information, identify promising practices, and support efforts to expand awareness and action on domestic violence at work across the globe.

Right now, a key focus for the Network is achieving an International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention and Recommendation on Violence and Harassment. There is currently no internationally agreed-upon law that deals with the many different forms of gender-based violence in the workplace, whether it be sexual or psychological harassment, domestic violence at work, physical or sexual violence, or bullying.”

“An ILO convention like this would give workers voice to stand up against gender-based violence in the workplace, and it would send a strong message that violence is not part of the job,” Byers concluded.

For more information and resources, visit our Domestic Violence at Work resource centre: domesticviolenceatwork.ca.

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“Despite the report of the House of Commons Special Committee on Pay Equity being titled It’s Time to Act, action on this issue doesn’t seem to be high on their agenda,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Byers.

“The government says that having a gender wage gap in Canada in 2016 is unacceptable. So why are they delaying action by at least another two years? Pay equity is a human right. Continued consultations only serve to further disadvantage Canadian women,” added Byers.

Byers pointed out that the Pay Equity Task Force submitted its report 12 years ago, which laid out a framework to eliminate the current complaints-based pay equity system, and to implement a proactive approach. 

“After all the expert testimony, and with the Task Force and Committee’s recommendations in hand, it’s unacceptable that the government would decide to make women wait another two years for pay equity legislation. This is an issue of fairness, plain and simple.”

Earlier this year, Byers reminded the Committee that working women have been waiting far too long for a solution to the gender wage gap. She urged the Committee to table proactive pay equity legislation without further delay. 

“There is no reason to continue to delay pay equity legislation. So much time, effort, and resources went into the task force consultation and report. We can't let it collect dust in the archives any longer,” said Byers.

The CLC is also calling on the government to immediately eliminate the Conservative government’s Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act.

The post It’s long past time to act on pay equity appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The CLC is also taking this opportunity to congratulate the government for endorsing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples this past May. The declaration recognizes Indigenous peoples’ basic rights on issues including language, land, health, and education.

“It is an endorsement that was a long time coming and we applaud the federal government for publicly making this important commitment to Indigenous rights,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

But Yussuff noted there is still much work to do to ensure the principles in the declaration – as well as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report recommendations – are put into practice in Indigenous communities across Canada.

The CLC will work with affiliates on a labour framework for action to guide implementation of the TRC report recommendations.

“Unions, employers and government must all come together to challenge existing policies that have led to inequality and discrimination, gaps in equal access to employment, education, housing, child welfare, justice, and safe drinking water in Aboriginal communities,” said Yussuff.

For example, the unemployment rate of Indigenous Canadians has been in the double digits since 2007, compared to single-digit rates for non-Indigenous Canadians. When they are employed, Indigenous Canadians, particularly women, experience a significant income gap.

Indigenous women and girls are also at heightened risk of violent crime — 16 percent of women murdered in Canada between 1980 and 2012 were Aboriginal, according to government statistics.

“The inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women remains a priority for Canadian unions and we stand in support of women in Indigenous communities who are calling for a thorough process with a human rights framework,” said Yussuff.

The post Celebrating National Aboriginal Day appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Working Canadians and their families are facing a precarious economic picture, but Canada is well-positioned to turn things around. Last October, the Liberals were elected precisely because they recognized this picture and promised to be bold in addressing it.

Here are the top 10 things Canadian unions will be looking for in next week’s federal budget:

1. Strategic infrastructure investment

Making targeted and strategic investments in infrastructure is one of the best things our government can do to create jobs, stimulate our economy, and tackle climate change.

Unions are urging the government to act on its election promises to invest in infrastructure, especially public transit infrastructure, affordable housing, and social infrastructure like seniors’ and child care facilities.

2. Employment Insurance fixes

Employment Insurance is a critical lifeline for unemployed workers and their communities. But unfortunately, Conservative changes have meant it’s not always accessible to the unemployed workers who need it, where and when they need it.

Fixing Employment Insurance is actually one of the best things we can do for economic stimulus, because unemployed workers get and spend EI benefits in their local communities within weeks.

Much has to be done to bring back the EI benefits where they should be to help Canadian workers. Here are just a few things the government could do to immediately improve our EI system:

• Eliminate the 910-hour eligibility hurdle for new labour force entrants and re-entrants;
• Reverse the Conservatives’ 2012 changes creating separate categories for claimants based on past history of claims, and changing the definition of suitable employment and reasonable job search efforts; and
• Reverse cuts to front-line services, which have been causing long delays accessing benefits.

3. Skills training and workforce development

Canadian unions were encouraged by the government’s election commitments to develop our workforce by helping more Canadians, particularly young people, access skills training. Some key commitments include the following:

• Invest $300 million annually in the Youth Employment Strategy, create at least 40,000 youth jobs a year, and develop or expand Pre-Apprenticeship Training Programs;
• Invest $500 million more each year in training EI-eligible individuals through the provincial and territorial Labour Market Development Agreements; and
• Invest $25 million each year for union training facilities.

Women continue to be underrepresented in skilled trades, making up only three percent of registered apprentices in construction, automotive and industry trades. Federal infrastructure projects are a perfect opportunity for government to work with unions and industry leaders to remove barriers and create opportunities for women in skilled trades.

4. Health care to meet the needs of our aging population

Canadians need urgent action on health care, to meet the challenges of an aging population and begin to undo the damage of more than $36 billion in Conservative cuts. The Canadian Labour Congress is calling on the federal government to do the following:

• Commit to funding at least 25 percent of health care costs by 2025;
• Work with stakeholders to develop a national seniors’ strategy, including home care, long-term care and community support services;
• Develop a national prescription drug program, which could reduce total spending on drugs by as much as $11 billion while fulfilling a vital need among elderly and other vulnerable Canadians; and
• Recruit, train and retain more health care workers to ease wait times.

5. Investment in child care

The high cost of child care and lack of licensed spaces mean that too many Canadian families are being squeezed. Investments in child care can create jobs and help parents, particularly mothers, to re-enter the workforce.

Canada’s spending on early childhood education and care falls far behind that of other OECD countries, but the upcoming federal budget can start to change that, by making immediate, modest investments in child care.

The labour movement has called on the federal government to work with the provinces and territories to develop and fund a common, robust early learning and child care framework. In the 2016 budget, the federal government can allocate targeted federal funding to provinces and territories to build universal, comprehensive, high-quality systems. With funding, provinces and territories could begin to address affordability, support child care workers by raising low wages in the sector, and meet the needs of hard-to-serve populations, such as families with children with disabilities, and refugee and newcomer families.

6. Measures to tackle child poverty

Over 1.3 million Canadian children live in poverty, including 40 percent of Indigenous children. The simple reality is that children live in poverty because their families live in poverty.

The federal government needs to develop a national anti-poverty strategy tackling the many causes of child poverty, including persistent unemployment, the proliferation of insecure jobs, and stagnant wages. Fixing Employment Insurance, creating jobs through infrastructure and other strategic investments, and improving access to child care – as outlined above – are just some of the ways our government can begin to lift children, and their families, above the poverty line.

7. Truth, reconciliation and justice for First Nations

During the election, the government committed to a renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples. There is much work to be done to get to that point, and to enact all the recommendations of last year’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission final report.

In its pre-budget submission to government, the Canadian Labour Congress identified drinking water and sanitation in Indigenous communities as a key infrastructure priority, saying that “It is unacceptable that, in a nation as wealthy as ours is, this critical necessity is not available to all.”

Unions will also be watching for new funding for First Nations’ child care programs, education and skills training, as well as adequate funding for the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

8. Help for seniors in poverty

Right now, one in nine Canadian seniors live in poverty. Retirement after a lifetime of hard work shouldn’t mean unbearable financial struggle. Expanding the Canada Pension Plan is still crucial; but in the short term, increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplement for single, low-income seniors by 10 percent, as promised in the last election, would be a significant move to help address seniors’ poverty.

9. Literacy investments

Research by the TD Bank Financial Group suggests that the economy-wide impact of raising average literacy levels would be tremendous. Even a 1 percent improvement in literacy rates nationally would boost our economy by $32 billion.

The Conservative government allowed the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills to lapse funding every year. This funding should be restored immediately.

In addition, Canadian unions are urging the government to speed up special investments to support Syrian refugees in need of language training, literacy and other basic employment support programs to help them succeed in Canada’s workforce.

10. Action on climate change

Canadian unions have been working with environmental, Indigenous, faith and community groups since 2009 to develop a “One Million Climate Jobs” plan for Canada.

Through strategic infrastructure investments in public transit, renewable energy and green building retrofits, the federal government could create more than one million climate jobs and reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by one-third over 10 years. The plan also includes a just transition to help workers affected by climate change move into new economic growth sectors.

Of course, these are only some of the issues that affect working Canadians. The Canadian Labour Congress’ submission to the government’s pre-budget consultation sums it up: on March 22, Canadian unions will ultimately be looking for real, progressive change aimed at “building a fairer and more prosperous Canada” for all.

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“We must open the doors and we must see to it they remain open, so that others can pass through.”

— Rosemary Brown

International Women’s Day (IWD) has its roots in women’s struggles for labour rights and universal suffrage: it originated in 1909 in honour of the previous year’s New York garment workers’ strike.

Today, with women making up almost half of Canada’s workforce, and a new government who has identified gender parity and the advancement of women’s rights as a priority, it is time to reflect on the challenges still facing women in Canada and get to work on dismantling fundamental barriers to true equality.

While women are well represented in the workforce and in post-secondary education, they also make up a significant majority of part-time and precarious workers, and are over-represented in undervalued and low-wage sectors of employment. Women with disabilities, Indigenous women and racialized women face additional barriers and challenges, including lower wages and higher unemployment.

Advancing women’s rights in Canada means addressing the disproportionate barriers facing the most vulnerable groups of women, and putting in place programs and services that address the systemic roots of discrimination and inequality. It means looking beyond gender parity as a goal and striving for equity.

As Rosemary Brown once said, “We must open the doors and we must see to it they remain open, so that others can pass through.”

Canada’s lack of a universal system of comprehensive, high-quality early childhood education and child care remains one of the most significant barriers to the advancement of women’s rights and economic empowerment.

In order to participate in the workforce, many women and their families need a safe place for kids to play, learn and grow. It opens the doors to employment, education and advancement. Yet, only one in five kids under five has access to a regulated space, and child care fees exceed the cost of university tuition in most Canadian cities.

Over the past few months, the federal government started working with provinces and territories to develop a National Early Learning and Child Care Framework. The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) urges all levels of governments to use, as a basis for their negotiations, the Shared Framework developed by Canada’s major child care organizations and their allies, and endorsed by the CLC.

Governments should approach their discussions with a commitment to building child care systems, and set out common policy frameworks based on key principles – recognizing in particular that child care is a human right and public good, not a commodity. Most of all, governments must commit to a plan for long term, sustained child care funding.

The upcoming federal budget can send a strong signal by making immediate, modest investments in child care, including dedicated transfers to provinces and territories for specific initiatives to address affordability, develop the child care workforce and/or meet the needs of hard-to-serve populations, such as those working non-standard hours, rural communities, families with infants, families with children with disabilities, or refugee and newcomer families.

In addition, the federal government should establish funding for Indigenous communities to design, deliver and govern services that meet their needs and aspirations, consistent with related recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Everyone depends on someone who depends on child care. On this IWD, let’s open doors, and urge governments to work together to building a universal child care system that will help women enter and stay in the workforce, educate and train for better jobs.

To learn more about the Shared Framework, visit: http://ccaac.ca/2015/01/20/advocacy-initiatives-and-policy-developments/

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The very first march happened in 1991 out of a sense of anger and hopelessness following the murder of a Coast Salish woman on Powell Street in Vancouver.

Indigenous women have been persistent and forthright in raising awareness and demanding justice for the violence they experience. They led the call for an inquiry and have organized marches, roundtables and vigils, and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) recognizes their strong leadership. Without their work, families and communities of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women would continue to suffer injustice.

The labour movement is optimistic that the federal government will soon begin building a framework for a national public inquiry into the disappearances and deaths of indigenous women across the country.

In addition to a national inquiry, the CLC calls on the federal government to implement a strategy that includes clean water, affordable housing, accessible education and poverty reduction in Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities. If these issues go unaddressed, women and girls in these communities will continue to suffer unfairly and unjustly, lacking basic human rights.

“Unions and governments of all levels need to listen and respond to what women in Indigenous communities are fighting for,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Byers. “The federal government needs to truly listen to Indigenous people, to ensure all people of Canada receive basic human rights; there are no more excuses.”

You can support justice and human rights for indigenous women by attending a march this February 14.

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For the past two years, the Canadian Labour Congress has been spearheading an initiative to address the impact of domestic violence in the workplace.  According to a recent cross-Canada survey conducted by the CLC and researchers at the University of Western Ontario, one in three workers has experienced domestic violence, and this violence follows them to work. Over 80 percent of victims reported that their performance was negatively impacted, and more than half said the abuse occurred at or near their workplace.

“Domestic violence is a significant issue for Canadian workers, and it affects everyone,” said Barbara Byers, CLC Secretary-Treasurer. “Unions can help by negotiating workplace solutions like paid leaves, safety planning and women’s advocate programs, by lobbying for improved health and safety legislation, and providing training for stewards and other union representatives.”

On December 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, the CLC will launch a new online Domestic Violence Resource Centre.

According to Byers: “Our new resource centre will include tools and strategies for union leaders, representatives and members to help build awareness, break the silence, and improve workplace safety for everyone.”

The Canadian Labour Congress is seeking to collaborate with the federal government to improve occupational health and safety regulations by including specific references to domestic violence, and the labour movement will also lobby for better legislation across all Canadian jurisdictions.

The CLC is encouraged by a number of promises made by the federal government in the recent election campaign, including a commitment to develop a National Action Plan on Violence against Women, which the CLC hopes will be guided by the Blueprint developed by labour, women’s and anti-violence organizations.

“We are looking for swift action on the government’s campaign commitments to hold a national public inquiry into the deaths and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls, and to implement a national strategy on violence against women, including investment in shelters and housing,” said Byers.

December 6 is a day to remember the lives lost to violence, but it is also a time to take action. Canada’s labour movement is working hard to make work safer, and we look forward to working with the new government to help eliminate violence against women and girls.

The post On Dec. 6, CLC focuses on domestic violence in the workplace appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The 2030 Agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets that build on the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which expire at the end of 2015.

With goals and targets to end poverty, reduce inequality, fight climate change, ensure access to education, and promote peace and justice, the plan envisions the positive ways we can work together to transform our world by 2030.

Trade unions welcome the new framework for sustainable development and are particularly committed to realizing goals and targets to: 

• End poverty in all its forms everywhere (Goal 1), with unions particularly advocating enhanced social protections to help achieve this;
• End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture (Goal 2);
• Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (Goal 4);
• Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls (Goal 5), with a particular focus on providing public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and on supporting women’s leadership;
• Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (Goal 7);
• Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth; full and productive employment; and decent work for all (Goal 8);
• Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation (Goal 9);
• Reduce inequality within and among countries (Goal 10), with a focus on fiscal, wage, and social protection policies;
• Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (Goal 13); and
• Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels (Goal 16).

The Canadian Labour Congress and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) commends states on signing onto this ambitious set of goals and targets. However, labour organizations have also pointed out flaws in the goals’ supporting framework and the processes for follow-up, review and accountability.

In terms of the goals’ framework, labour bodies are asking for signatory nations to commit to implement the goals through financing, progressive public policy, and a sound accountability framework. In addition, the goals’ follow-up and review process is essentially voluntary, meaning that nations risk little if they fail to make efforts to implement the goals. The CLC and ITUC believe the follow-up process could be strengthened through binding commitments based on existing international standards.

Representing the labour movement at the UN Summit, Susan Hopgood, president of Education International, stated: “As trade unions, we are committed to play our part. We need government to step up and fulfil their obligations. Deeds not words.”

Internationally, ITUC’s Trade Union Trade Development Cooperation Network (TUDCN) will push for high standards during the process leading up to and including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

During the recent federal election campaign, the Liberal party confirmed that a Liberal government would commit to the SDGs and to developing a comprehensive plan to make measurable progress towards achieving these goals, both at home and abroad.

The CLC, alongside civil society organization and advocacy groups such as the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), is committed to playing its part, while holding the new Liberal government accountable to their commitments. 

The post What you need to know about the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Across the country, the labour movement joins families, Indigenous and women’s organizations at vigils and events to support the Sisters in Spirit movement.

The RCMP now estimates that over 1,100 indigenous women and girls have gone missing or been murdered – but many agree the number is likely much higher. This disproportionate violence experienced by Indigenous women in Canada has received the attention of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which has called out the Canadian government for its failure to act.

The CLC supports the call for an inquiry
Barbara Byers, Secretary-Treasurer of the CLC, said that the crisis may not be on Stephen Harper’s radar, but it is on labour’s.

“The CLC and its affiliates believe a public inquiry is necessary in order to begin to repair the injustices and bring some closure to the families of the missing and murdered,” Byers said. “This election, we have a chance to honour these women and girls by voting for a party that is committed to calling a public inquiry.”

The CLC encourages members to support the families by attending vigils and events being held across the country.

“Whether it’s a vigil, a rally, a moment of silence or a community feast, let’s all take some time to mark the day,” Byers said.

Take action

•    Attend a vigil near you
•    Light a virtual candle

Background

In 2005 Bridget Tolley, an Algonquin grandmother from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg in Quebec, began a movement called Sisters in Spirit (SIS) with the help of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, Indigenous communities, their allies, and other National Aboriginal Organizations (NAO).

Sisters in Spirit began as a family-led movement to end violence and stop the disappearances and murders of Indigenous women and girls. The Native Women’s Association of Canada, funded by Status of Women Canada (SWC), gathered statistical information on violence against Aboriginal women and the experiences of the families and communities left behind, and raised public awareness on the numbers of missing and murdered.

In 2011, the Conservative government defunded the Sisters in Spirit initiative, but the number of deaths and disappearances continued to grow. So have the voices supporting the call for an inquiry.

Many of the families, along with other allies, formed a new group, Families of Sisters in Spirit (FSIS), in order to continue community-led action and give support to the many families in need of healing and justice.

Today, more than 80 communities across the country hold annual vigils and events to honour and remember all Sisters in Spirit.

The post This election, let’s make justice a reality for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Together with child care advocates, the CLC will participate in a week of action from May 10 to 17, 2015, holding events across the country to celebrate child care as a public good and calling for a system that will provide all families with high quality care they can afford. We want the federal government to commit to funding and to working with the provinces to create a national child care system.

The labour movement has been a longtime advocate for child care because we know everyone benefits when parents can go to work knowing their kids are safe and well cared for. For two years we’ve been holding conversations with our members about their child care struggles, so we know the challenging realities of today’s families.

The economic benefits of child care are well-established, or as the TD Bank stated, “Unquestionable”. According to their report, “Ultimately, investment in early education can help to address core economic and social challenges facing Canada. It can help reduce poverty, address skills shortages, and improve productivity and innovation, and a host of other national priorities”.

Child care helps make women available for work, education and training. We have seen the success of Quebec’s child care system, which saw substantial increases in women’s participation in paid work as well as a reduction in poverty rates. Quebec has also shown us that money spent on child care pays for itself in increased tax revenue and other socio-economic benefits.

Canada’s labour movement has made many gains for working women – gains we celebrate on International Women’s Day. From maternity and parental leave to public pensions, from equal pay to workplace safety legislation, we have led the way for better, fairer workplaces for all women in Canada. Now we are calling for a national child care system so all parents can count on quality child care.

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The very first march happened in 1991 out of a sense of anger and hopelessness following the murder of a Coast Salish woman on Powell Street in Vancouver.

“Every international human rights body that has investigated this crisis has called for action. The federal government’s failure to call a National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is a national embarrassment”, says Hassan Yussuff, CLC President.

Violence against Indigenous women is disproportionately high compared to non-indigenous women. The cycle of poverty and racism directly contributes to the larger number of Indigenous women’s experience of violence in Canadian society. The march serves to remember this and to compel the government to take action on this violence, starting with a National Public Inquiry.

You can support the march by spreading the word and attending an event near you. You can also send a message to the federal and provincial governments supporting the call for a National Public Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Find an event and learn more about the memorial marches.

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The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has issued the report of its two-year study on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in British Columbia. The report clearly links the disproportionate amount of violence experienced by Indigenous women in Canada to the “past and present institutional and structural inequalities” that these women face, including poverty, discrimination and colonization. It points out that any response must be comprehensive and holistic, which means addressing poverty, lack of housing, and access to education and employment.

The report clearly reinforces calls for a National Inquiry as well as a comprehensive strategy that would include all levels of government, and involve indigenous peoples, particularly indigenous women, at all stages.

Hassan Yussuff, CLC President, said ” Every international human rights body that has investigated this crisis has called for action. The federal government’s failure to call a National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is a national embarrassment”.

Yussuff stated that he hopes the federal government will consider this new report and its recommendations seriously. A roundtable with First Nations, provinces, territories and Indigenous organizations is planned for February. “The roundtable will be the start of a conversation”, said Yussuff, “but it should just be the start. Indigenous women in Canada and their families deserve to be heard and they need to know their governments are prepared to work hard on a coordinated strategy to address poverty, marginalization, and violence”.

Read the report.

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We cannot let this continue.

Canada’s labour movement wants to help create a society where future generations of girls will not have to deal with violence, discrimination or inequality simply because of their gender. We want a world where girls and women can work and pursue their education and training without fear. That’s what fairness means.

The labour movement has taken an active role in ending violence against women. We have worked hard to make work safer for women by addressing sexual harassment and violence in the workplace.

We helped win Canada’s gun control provisions in the wake of December 6, 1989, and we continue to stand up for effective gun control measures. Today, we are supporting calls for a National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and working with our allies to push the federal government to develop a National Action Plan on Violence against Women.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the École Polytechnique murders, Canada’s labour movement is stepping up its efforts to address violence against women in the workplace. With our partners at Western University, the Canadian Labour Congress is releasing the results of a groundbreaking national survey on the Impact of Domestic Violence in the workplace.

The survey shows that a substantial number of workers in Canada have experienced domestic violence―one third of the 8429 people who participated, with women, Aboriginal people and, lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people reporting higher rates of violence.

We also learned that the violence does not stay at home. It follows people to work, it has a significant impact on work performance, and for almost ten percent, it has cost them their job.

It’s time to talk. This survey is the start of a conversation; one that needs to involve unions, employers and governments, about how we can make sure that people who experience domestic violence can feel safe on the job, and feel supported by their union and employer. The survey makes this challenge clear, and we’re ready to take it on.

Read about the survey and watch our video.

This December 6, we remember 14 women, and so many others. And, we commit to action.
Geneviève Bergeron―Hélène Colgan―Nathalie Croteau―Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward―Maud Haviernick―Maryse Laganière―Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay―Sonia Pelletier―Michèle Richard―Annie St-Arneault
Annie Turcotte―Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz

The post December 6, 2014: National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The unanimous decision, delivered Wednesday immediately following closing arguments, agreed with the BC Teachers Federation (BCTF) that denying parental benefits to birth mothers, because they received pregnancy benefits, was discriminatory.

“This is an enormous victory, not just for teachers, but for all working women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant,” said CLC president Hassan Yussuff.

“We congratulate the BCTF for forcing this recognition of the unique needs of pregnant women,” he added.

See the BCTF news release.

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The CLC has encouraged its members to support and attend vigils and events being held across the country. Barbara Byers, Secretary-Treasurer of the CLC, believes that, “together the labour movement, Indigenous groups, workers, and allies of Indigenous communities will fight for the families of the victims to have closure and justice that they deserve and is long over due”.

Since 2005, many families and allies of the missing and murdered women and girls have called on the federal government to hold a national public inquiry to examine the causes of the disproportionate number of Indigenous women who have gone missing or are murdered, and to identify solutions. Instead of bringing justice to Indigenous communities across the country, the Conservative government has consistently refused to honour the wishes of the families and call an inquiry. Instead, funds have been diverted into the criminal justice system or services to victims with no clear evidence that funding will reduce violence.

The CLC has launched a petition to demand justice for the close to 1200 documented deaths and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls over the past thirty years. We encourage Canadians to sign and share.

Over the past decade, Sisters In Spirit vigils have evolved into a movement for social change for all people of Canada and the world. This October 4th, find a way to be a part of this change by participating in an event close to you.

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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.

Equal Pay Day helps us raise awareness about the gender pay gap and how to close the gender pay gap for all working women.

• Watch the Equal Pay Day video
• Sign the declaration and learn more about Ontario’s Equal Pay Day.

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When workers stand together for fairness, we can be a powerful force for women’s equality and positive change, at the workplace and in society. We have improved women’s wages, narrowed the gender wage gap, negotiated benefits, leaves and other provisions to help women balance work and family responsibilities. We help make the workplace safer, challenge harassment and discrimination. We have helped open doors to women working in trades and technology and we build women’s leadership and political participation. The change that unions have achieved is indeed inspiring.

But there is so much more change needed.

Canada’s labour movement continues to push for leadership to address Canada’s child care crisis, and is working hard to expand the Canada Pension Plan so everyone can retire in dignity and security.

On December 6th, 2013 the Canadian Labour Congress and Western University launched a groundbreaking national survey on the impact of domestic violence on workers and workplaces. It is the first-ever survey of its kind in Canada. Our intention is to provide made-in-Canada research that will help unions, employers, advocates and governments develop good public policy as well as negotiate workplace supports. We hope to inspire a change in the way we think about violence at home and how it reaches the work place, and find ways to make our workplaces safer.

We know the workplace is not always a safe place for women. One in ten women aged 18 to 24 reports having experienced sexual harassment at work within the previous 12 months. According to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC), five percent of women who died at work in 2012 were killed as a result of gun violence. Half of Canadian women will experience at least one incident of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. In Canada on any given day, over 3000 women (along with their 2500 children) are staying in an emergency shelter to escape domestic violence. These statistics are even far worse for refugee and recent immigrant women, women living with a disability, indigenous women and girls, racialized women and trans women.

The Canadian Labour Congress believes that we cannot end violence against women and girls without looking at the pressure that living with violence at home puts on their lives at work.

On International Women’s Day, we are inviting our members and all workers to help us find ways to make workplaces safer by filling out our survey and encouraging others to do the same.

The CLC survey is online and available in English and French until June 6, 2014. All workers over the age of 15 are encouraged to complete the survey, whether or not they have personally experienced or witnessed domestic violence. The survey is completely anonymous and takes between 10 and 30 minutes to complete.

The survey will help break the silence about violence in the workplace and the impact of violence at home.

Let’s work together to inspire change for women and for all workers. Acknowledge and stand up against violence in the workplace, at home and in the community.

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“The results of this survey will provide made-in-Canada research that will help unions, employers, advocates and governments develop good public policy as well as negotiate workplace supports,” says Barbara Byers, CLC Executive Vice-President. “Unions have worked hard to pressure governments to pass workplace violence legislation that offers some protection for workers experiencing violence at home, but it is still not enough.”

Byers adds that workplaces – including some that are unionized – still need better paid leave or unpaid leave options to help people deal with the effects of domestic violence. This includes time to deal with legal issues as well as access physical, emotional or mental health services.

Lise Martin, Executive Director of the Canadian Network of Women’s Shelters & Transition Houses, says: “Domestic violence doesn’t stop when a woman leaves for work. The costs to the workplace and colleagues can be considerable. Very conservative estimates put the costs of domestic violence to the workplace at $85,000 for every 100 employees.”

Barb MacQuarrie, Community Director, Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children, Western University, says: “These numbers are conservative. Domestic violence is devastating the lives of Canadian workers and it is costing Canadian workplaces in lost productivity, absenteeism and turn over. It’s easy to ignore those facts without evidence. This survey will change that.”

MacQuarrie adds: “This survey will help all of us to realize that what happens at home can have a profound impact on what happens at work. Then it will help us to understand the opportunities to keep workers and the whole workplace safe.”

Linda Silas, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) says that one goal of the survey is to raise awareness among employers and workers about the impacts of domestic violence, before it is too late. “It is, sadly, at the doors of health care services where we see this impact. This survey will help lift the cloud of secrecy linking safety at home and safety at work.”

The CLC’s Barbara Byers adds: “December 6 is an occasion to remember young women who lost their lives to gender-based violence but it is also a time to commit to action. Unions are uniquely placed to make a real difference to the lives of workers who may be experiencing violence in the home. That makes work safer for everyone”.

The survey is online and available in English and French until June 6, 2014. Any workers over the age of 15 are encouraged to complete the survey, whether or not they have personally experienced or witnessed domestic violence. The survey is completely anonymous and takes between 10 and 30 minutes to complete.

The Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of the labour movement, represents 3.3 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together Canada’s national and international unions along with the provincial and territorial federations of labour and 130 district labour councils.

Web site: www.canadianlabour.ca
Follow us on Twitter @CanadianLabour
Like Our Page on Facebook: Women’s Lives Count

Contact: Vicky Smallman, Director
CLC Women’s & Human Rights Department
Tel: 613-526-7413 Cell: 613-866-8741
Email: vsmallman@clcctc.ca

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“We want to do everything possible to eliminate and prevent all forms of violence against women and girls,” Byers says.

Canadian women are among trade union members represented by four international global union federations, including  the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). The union delegation represents over 70 million women workers from 27 countries around the world.

Byers says, “Our trade union delegation calls on governments, including Canada’s, to do more to end violence against women and girls in their respective countries.”

Byers adds that trade union delegates want to see measures to address violence in the workplace; for women’s economic independence through decent work; for access to public services to help victims of violence, and for education measures as a means to prevent and eliminate violence.

Byers says, “We believe that trade unions should be identified as important stakeholders in the prevention of violence against women and girls. Every day and in many countries, we work on behalf of these women and girls whether or not they belong to unions. It is their right to live and work in a safe and secure environment.”

Trade union delegates to the Commission on the Status of Women meetings between March 4 and 15 are reporting on their experience on the blog unioncsw.world-psi.org and using the Twitter hashtag #CSW57.

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