Posted: Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Introduction

On behalf of the 3.2 million members of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), we want to thank you for affording us the opportunity to present our views. The CLC brings together Canada's national and international unions along with the provincial and territorial federations of labour and 137 district labour councils whose members work in virtually all sectors of the Canadian economy, in all occupations, in all parts of Canada.

Pay Equity

The Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act was introduced by the Conservative minority government on February 6, 2009 as part of Bill C-10, the Budget Implementation Bill. We see a number of very serious problems with this legislation.

Market-based value:

The legislation redefines the terms under which "value" of work is assessed. The Act maintains the traditional criteria which looks at "the composite of the skill, effort and responsibility required in the performance of the work and the conditions under which the work is performed." This new legislation, however, introduces the notion that the women's work in the public sector should be valued to prevailing market conditions in the private sector.

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