The basic salary for trades personnel is $12.94/hour. Administrative secretaries never reach this wage since their maximum level is $12.90. Nursing assistants wait ten years to reach the level of the starting salary of painters, and directors of child care services, with a top wage of $11.98, never get there. At the professional level, occupational therapists and physiotherapists attain only 87% of the maximum of their male colleagues who are computer analysts and guidance counsellors. The research team concluded that, in effect, there are two salary structures in Quebec's public sector: a female structure with a base salary of $9.73/ hour and a male structure with a base salary of $10.72/hour. In other words, a starting difference of $l.00/hour or about $2,000/ year. These conclusions were submitted to the government negotiators in August 1988.

NEGOTIATING PAY EQUITY

The government position has been consistent and simple. From its original refusal to recognize salary discrimination in female job categories, it has hinted that perhaps all public sector job classifications might be in need of review. But the thrust of this review would be to weed out those job categories which are overpaid. "Restructuring from within" is the phrase the Minister of Social Affairs likes to use to describe her plans for solving the horrendous problems in her sector without injecting any money in the form of personnel, equipment, or salary corrections. At this stage in the negotiations, the government is still holding to its 4% across the board offer with no money foreseen for pay equity. Daniel Johnson, the Minister of Finance, in a recent televised interview, labeled the CSN's pay equity study as "unscientific" and condemned the tactic of "politicizing pay equity."

Indeed, pay equity has become a political issue for Quebec women. The government's own Conseil du Statut de la Femme has produced an excellent 30 minute video called "Le salaire a-t-il un sexe?" promoting pay equity with examples of injustice drawn from the public sector. The YWCA held a well-attended and enthusiastic weekend seminar on pay equity at the beginning of March with speakers from Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto and Minnesota. At that "colloque," a Quebec pay equity coalition was formed. In fact, pay equity was a major theme in many International Women's Day activities this year. The March issue of the Gazette des Femmes was devoted to it.

If the government hoped the fuss might all die down after the 8th of March it must be disappointed. The coalition is gathering steam; the CSN public sector members are convinced it is a question of social justice and private sector members are beginning to see its implications for them as well. Much public support has been shown for the plight of Quebec nurses, the most dramatic and visible victims of pay discrimination; even the Conseil du Patronat has advised the government to increase its 4% offer in their case.

A massive demonstration on pay equity, held on May 27 and organized by the CSN, involved not only members from across the province but also representatives from women's and popular groups as well as media personalities. The message of this event was that the government can no longer afford to ignore pay equity demands. Nor can it continue postponing the issue by more studies. The Finance Minister is correct in his accusation that the CSN has "politicized" pay equity. It has become a political and, one might even say, a moral issue. The Bourassa government is going to have to deal with it as such, either now or during its fall election campaign.

Lesley Lee has been working in the women's movement and specifically with pay equity for a number of years. She began work with the National Women's Committee of CSN in 1978 and served as president from 1980-84. In 1989-90 she served as the vice-president of NAC.