There are many examples of such comparisons where, even when equivalency is clear or the female role ranked higher, pay inequity exists. Research also shows that neither do females receive equivalent pay increases to that of male workers. The presenter advised that while the Coalition had made much progress by using successful strategies, she noted that there was still much work ahead since the provincial government has not moved toward pay equity.

One such strategy was the declaration by the Coalition of November 25th as “Pay Equity Day”. This date was chosen because the Coalition’s research shows that from that date through to the end of the year, the women in N.B. work for free. Further, they believe it is “simply because they are women”, that it is a matter of “justice”. They have said that it is the responsibility of the provincial government to end this discriminatory practice. The following text is an excerpt from a media release about “Pay Equity Day”

“In New Brunswick, women earn on average $12.45 an hour, whereas men earn $15.81 (Statistics Canada 2001). That is a 21% gap. It is generally accepted that at least half of the gap is explained by discrimination towards women. Therefore, it is estimated that N.B. women earn 89.9% of the value of their work. In other words, they are only paid 328 out of 365 days and, starting November 25th, they are working for free. That means a loss of more than five weeks' pay

In order to be effective, a law on pay equity should cover both the public and the private sectors. Approximately 87% of the female labour force in N.B. work in the private sector. Very few of these women are unionized. The average pay difference between unionized men and unionized women is 11%, while non-unionized women earn on average 26% less than non-unionized men. A law on pay equity (would) correct this unjust situation and will improve the lives of many women", affirmed the Chair of the Coalition.”

In concluding remarks, there was acknowledgement that to further their objectives, the Coalition needed to gain broader representation from more areas and stakeholders in New Brunswick. Participants were asked to consider involvement at the community level.

WORKSHOPS

Workshop Quality of Life Indicators

Presented by Rick Hutchins, PolicyLink NB

“Quality of Life” (QOL) has become a topic of national importance with research and community based activities underway across the country. This topic has also emerged as a new concept for addressing the health and well-being of Canadians by public policy makers, community developers, and researchers. As a result, quality of life research provides an opportune framework for discussion and research that addresses the determinants of health and community life in a manner that is understandable to the public.

A national workshop on Quality of Life research was convened in Halifax in December 2002 to develop a program of research to build knowledge about conditions for improving the QOL and the health of Canadians and their communities. Participants at the workshop called for the development of a common framework for QOL research and the development of indicators that are comparable across jurisdictions and communities.

This presenter then referred to a “Citizens Report Card” released by the Canadian Policy Research Network. Categories used in the report card include: