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Letter Addressed to Members of
Parliament
July 5, 1982
Dear Member of Parliament:
The conference, Women and the Impact of Microtechnology, held in
Ottawa, June 25-27, 1982 under the cosponsorship of the Canadian Congress for
Learning Opportunities for Women, the Canadian Federation of University Women,
the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women and the National
Action Committee on the Status of Women, brought over 500 women.
Participants, representing community groups, concerned women,
trade unions and employers across Canada, voted to endorse the following
resolutions:
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Microtechnology will have its greatest impact on the
service sector, where the majority of women are employed. It is estimated that
over 40% of clerical workers will lose their jobs.
Whereas training and retraining will be required on a large
scale, and
whereas employers have not shouldered their fair share of
training responsibilities,
the participants of this conference resolve to bring to the
attention of the members of Parliament, the urgent need to compel employers to
take affirmative-action measures to train women. We urge that the mechanism
for compelling employers to improve opportunities for women include, but not be
limited to, contract compliance.
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In order to meet the challenges of technology and
distribute its rewards in a fair and equitable way, we ask members of
Parliament to adopt in principle the following rights:
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The introduction of all aspects of technological change
must be negotiated between the union and the employer. where a union exists, or
between the employer and employees.
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Legislation must use the broadest possible
definition of technological change.
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All necessary information relating to the
introduction of technological change must be available to all employees.
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The volume of work shall not decrease as a result of
technological change; no employee shall be laid-off.
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Employers shall be required to retrain redundant employees.
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No employee shall suffer extensive deskilling as a
result of. the introduction of technological change.
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There shall be no electronic or technological
surveillance of employees.
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Employees shall have the right to refuse work that
is unsafe or unhealthy.
As concerned women conference participants and members of the
fair sponsoring organizations, we count on you to act on these resolutions.
For further information, please contact the conference
committee at:
P.O. Box 236, Station B,
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 6C4
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