A National Employment Equity Network

BY JUDY REBICK

Judy Rebick

The publication of the employers' reports under the Employment Equity Act a year ago stimulated new interest in efforts to improve federal employment equity. Many groups feel that the reports illustrate the weakness of the Act. To develop a coordinated federal response, organizations representing all four target groups (women, aboriginal people, the disabled, and visible minorities) met in Ottawa last February and decided to form a national employment equity network.

At a meeting hosted by the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, the organizations decided the network would focus on three areas: developing alternative legislative strategies, lobbying for changes to the federal employment equity program, and monitoring the current program. Groups eligible for membership in the network are any national organizations representing one of the four target groups, any Quebec organizations representing one of the four target groups, the Canadian Labour Council, and the Quebec union centrals.

In recognition of the absence of a national race relations group, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations was invited to be part of the network. Disabled People for Employment Equity were also invited because of the pioneering work they have done in monitoring the federal legislation through complaints.