Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

OTTAWA – While the Harper government is in denial about women’s inequality, income gaps between men and women persist and are growing, according to the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).

“It’s unacceptable that four years after a federal Pay Equity Task Force released its report recommending a new proactive federal pay equity law, women still face wage discrimination,” says PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President Robyn Benson.

• More at national website: Put pay equity back on the agenda!

In the mid ‘90s women working full-time earned on average 72 cents for every dollar earned by a man. By 2005, that proportion had dropped to 70.5 cents. And the pay gap for immigrant women, many of whom are racialized, is much worse.

“Women know where the Prime Minister and his government stand”, says Benson. “As head of the National Citizens Coalition in 1998 he declared that pay equity was a rip-off and that ‘the federal government should scrap its ridiculous pay equity law’.”

According to Benson, “what’s ridiculous is that women are denied their right to pay equity because their complaints take decades to resolve under the current law. What’s ridiculous is that there is nothing in the current law to force employers to review their pay practices and correct discriminatory wages.”

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Women Behaving Politically: Organizing for Change.

The Western Regional Summer Institute for Union Women offers an intensive week of learning within a supportive environment in which union women can develop their skills as workers, activists and leaders.

Sponsored by the British Columbia Federation of Labour, the Institute will be held at the University of Victoria (UVIC). The Western Regional SIUW brings together union women from BC, Washington State, Oregon and California.

Our theme, Women Behaving Politically: Organizing for Change, reflects labour’s commitment to providing women with both the skills and strategies to understand the key issues for labour and how that understanding can help us participate in the upcoming elections, and develop stronger leadership among women within our unions and political institutions. We need the world to hear more women’s voices speaking out on issues that matter to us like: pay equity, a higher minimum wage, universal childcare, health care, the economy, poverty and the right to join a union.

Read more, and download a brochure and registration form at bcfed.ca.

PSAC Okanagan Regional Women’s Committee, Minutes of Meeting February 9, 2008, ABC Restaurant, Harvey Avenue, Kelowna

In Attendance:

• Susan Yaciw UTE 20003
• Roberta Gourlie CEIU 20915
• Kelly Megyesi CEIU 20915
• Linda Woods NAT 20140
• Darrell-Lee McKenzie AGR 20043
• Jennifer Leenhouts CEIU 20972
• Kareen Stanich AGR 20043

The meeting was called to order at 11:35 a.m. with Jennifer Leenhouts in the chair.

Continue reading below or download the Okanagan RWC meeting minutes - Feb 9 2008 (pdf)

Minutes: Minutes from September 21, 2007 were accepted. m/s/c

Treasurer’s Report: The balance is $1276.31. The audited financial statement for 2007 was circulated to members present. m/s/c

2008 Budget:Proposed budget was discussed and accepted as presented. m/s/c

BC Regional Women’s Conference September 28-30, 2007: K. Megyesi reported that the conference was very interesting, had excellent speakers, and a theme of the environment. The Okanagan was well represented.

National Women’s Conference November 23-25, 2007: J. Leenhouts and K. Megyesi reported that this was also a good conference with the most resolution passed in history. Top issues for resolutions regarded childcare. There was much discussion about the inability to send observers to the conference.

BRUSH Committee: K. Megyesi reported on the BRUSH Committee which meets regularly. For more information on health and safety initiatives through the BC Regional office visit: http://www.psacbc.com/categories/health-safety/

Designation of Voting Members at Women’s Committee: As per the Regional Women’s Committee Handbook, there is one vote per affiliated Component. The following members have voting rights:

• AGR D-L McKenzie (alternate M-L. Romano)
• CEIU K. Megyesi (alternate J. Leenhouts)
• UTE S. Yaciw
• NAT L. Woods

Election of Officers:

• Co-Chair: J. Leenhouts was nominated by S. Yaciw, seconded by L. Woods, carried.
• Co-Chair: K. Megyesi was nominated by S. Yaciw, seconded by L. Woods, carried.
• Treasurer: K. Megyesi was nominated by S. Yaciw, seconded by L. Woods, carried.
• Secretary: R. Gourlie was nominated by D-L McKenzie, seconded by S. Yaciw, carried.

Next Meeting: TBA (possibly April 12th in Kelowna)

Adjourned at 12:30 p.m. m/s/c

via email

The fight against poverty requires justice and equality for women. Around the world, women and girls are more likely to face violence, have fewer rights and receive less education than men. And because women are often denied fair compensation for their work, poverty rates among women are much higher.

Gender equality is a key part of making poverty history. Policies that promote the health, education and rights of women make huge contributions towards alleviating poverty. Any serious attempt to eradicate poverty must work towards gender equality. That’s why to “promote gender equality and empower women” is one of the eight Millenium Development Goals.

So we are asking you to participate in International Women’s Day, this Saturday, March 8, in whatever way you can: learn more about the issues, tell your friends about the day, attend an event or take action online.

Learn more

Make Poverty History is part of a coalition of groups called the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) See the GCAP International Women’s Day video on YouTube. Read GCAP’s page on the importance of gender equality here

Send and ecard to your friends or attend an event

Remind your friends of the importance of March 8th by sending them an e-card from www.makepovertyhistory.ca.

Make Poverty History volunteers will be at Women’s Day events across the country this Saturday - why don’t you join them? See events on March 8 here.

Minutes of the Prince George Regional Women’s Committee,January 16, 2008

In attendance:

• Diane Beaulieu – Chair
• Patt Holmes
• Val Bergey
• Barb Mazur
• Sandy Stephens
• Narinder Minhas
• Colette Savarie
• Regina Brennan

Regrets:

• Lucy Fildes

Continue reading below, or download the Prince George Regional Women’s Committee meeting minutes - Jan 16 2008 (pdf)

1. Call to order and welcome introductory round

2. Election

• agreed to hold the next meeting with the election of officers on March 8, right after the breakfast. Agreed to book a room at the Ramada Hotel if possible, otherwise use HEU or BCGEU Hall.
• This committee will have no delegate to the PSAC - BC Regional Convention because they were deemed inactive.

3. International Women’s Day.

• Check with other unions about what they are doing, and look for posters and theme ideas. Colette and Regina to check with Jim Sinclair about what the BC Fed is doing. Patt suggested that the Sharon McIver case is a possible group in need of funding assistance. UNBC does an IWD event. HEU and BCGEU do events as well. CEIU is doing a Loonie auction. Currently doing a survey to choose who to donate proceeds to.
• Women from the committee will attend the breakfast at the Ramada Hotel on March 8th. Colette is invited to attend. Patt has the Women in Motion information.

4. Financial Report.

• $394.81 in the bank. Some discussion about the state of the books and the work that needs to be done to get more funding. Books to be handed off to the new Treasurer on March 8th.
• That the Prince George Regional Women’s Committee purchase a table of 10 seats, to be divided equitably among the 5 affiliated locals, to the March 8 International Women’s Day breakfast organized by the Prince George and District Labour Council. Tickets to be purchased by Sandy. M/S/C Patt Holmes/Narinder Minhas. Carried

5. Defending Public Services

• Review of handouts and activities. Letter from John Gordon (see attached) asking to work across Component lines to ensure co-ordination. Questionnaire from National Women’s Conference on re-organizations and what is happening in the workplace. Interesting statistics in the last National Board of Directors minutes. Patt will share all this information with the new Regional Women’s Committee executive. Colette will forward the Saskatchewan questionnaire.

6. PSAC Regional Council Rep for Women report

• Patt gave a verbal report.

7. Goals for the Regional Women’s Committee

• The planning and setting of goals was tabled to be dealt with by the new executive. Colette proposed using the remaining funds from the Regional Women’s Conference cycle to hold meetings with each committee to do some planning and goal setting.

8. Training and Building Capacity

• Sandy has sent out a questionnaire on education. She needs the completed forms back by January 21.

9. Round table

• Barb – Is working on her CRA women’s committee. They are holding a women’s self defense course. Contact Barb if you are on an employer committee.
• Colette – pass
• Regina – Is on the board for her Women’s Center now and also put together a woman’s self defense course.
• Sandy – She will get the IWD breakfast tickets and will email when she has them.
• Val – pass
• Patt – showed us her beautiful PSAC quilt.
• Narinder – pass
• Diane – handed out bargaining stickers.
• We had a brief discussion on improving the communications network for this committee, to ensure notices of meetings are sent out on a timely basis to all concerned.

Adjourned at 6:55pm

On March 8, International Women’s Day, the Canadian Labour Congress is launching a women’s economic equality campaign – “Equality! Once and For All!” An exciting year-long campaign, the CLC will use every opportunity to raise awareness about the lack of attention paid by politicians, employers and the media to the growing economic inequality of women, through the use of creative and innovative tactics.

The PSAC is part of this campaign …

• The PSAC asks: Where is the federal plan for women’s equality?.
• Read Robyn Benson’s letter re: March 8th launch of the Women’s Economic Equality Campaign (pdf)
  

By mobilizing union women to talk with their union sisters and brothers, with their families, the public, media, and politicians at all levels of government, this campaign will focus on important solutions; solutions like belonging to a union, creating an accessible, affordable, public child care system, minimum wage reform, pay equity, improving Employment Insurance, CPP, OAS and GIS. We know that these solutions are key to closing the wage gap between working men and women.

After twenty-five years of progress, the gap between the average wages of Canadian men and women have stopped narrowing and is now growing. Women workers of colour, Aboriginal women and women with disabilities face even greater economic disadvantages.

Contact the CLC’s Women’s Economic Equality campaign coordinators at 613-526-7424 or by email at equalityonceandforall@clc-ctc.ca for ways in which you contribute to the success of this campaign, and continue to check the PSAC regional and national websites for updates on the campaign.

International Women’s Day events in BC

Here is a list of IWD events coming up in the Province. Is there an IWD event happening in your community? Email Patrick and we’ll add it to the calendar.

• March 7, 7:30 AM, Vancouver, BC Federation of Labour annual breakfast | details @ calendar
• March 7, 6PM, Vancouver, India Mahila Association IWD Event | details @ calendar
• March 8, 11AM, Victoria & Nanaimo, CLC Teach-in Events | details @ calendar
• March 8, 1:30PM, Vancouver, IWD Book Launch - Burmese Women’s Union Report about migrant women and girl workers | details @ calendar
• March 8, 4PM, Vancouver, Grassroots Women IWD rally, march & dinner | details @ calendar
• March 8, 7PM, Vancouver, IWD dinner & fundraiser in honour of Aboriginal women | details @ calendar

By Pieta Woolley
Publish Date: December 13, 2007

On weekday mornings, Nancy Liang leaves her home in Coquitlam and drives her two-year-old son to his daycare, which is in a grey industrial-business zone in Richmond. The building that contains his child-care centre looks dismal. A furniture store takes up the whole first floor. It borders a gravel parking lot and is across the street from a cement factory. Truck traffic on Sea Island Way trundles by.

But on the second floor of the two-storey building sit the spacious offices of Syscon Justice Systems, a software company that designs computer programs for jails and prisons. This is where Liang works as an application developer and where little Bernard Liu attends daycare with seven other kids aged one to five.

Workplace childcare is relatively new to Canada, but it’s poised to revolutionize how the service is delivered. This year, both the B.C. and federal governments changed laws to make workplace daycares more attractive to businesses. The City of Vancouver will consider a report in the spring of 2008 that could facilitate on-site daycare in office buildings. However, some child-care lobbyists–who have been fighting for a taxpayer-funded system for three decades–hate the idea. (more…)

Sharon McIvor is a member of the Lower Nicola Band, a practicing member of the Law Society of British Columbia, and a Professor of Aboriginal Law at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, where she is on the executive of her trade union, the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators. For many years, Sharon McIvor has been a national leader in the Native Women’s Association of Canada and the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action.

Recently, in an unprecedented constitutional case, Sharon McIvor successfully challenged the continuing preferential treatment given to males and those whose Indian status is traced from male ancestors, as a violation of section 15, the equality guarantee of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

On June 7, 2007, in McIvor v. Canada, Judge Carol Ross of the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that the federal government must remove sex discrimination from the determination of Indian status and restore equal Indian status to First Nations women and their descendants.

This is a ground-breaking decision that may affect the Indian status of more than 200,000 Aboriginal women and their descendants.

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Come celebrate the 20th anniversary of the historic Supreme Court decision that finally gave Canadian women true reproductive choice!

Monday, January 28, 2008, 6-10pm, SFU Harbour Centre, 515 W. Hastings St., Vancouver.

Featuring: Reception, cash bar, speaker’s panel, and new documentary film “Henry”.

Here is a poster with details.

For more info, contact jharthur@shaw.ca

Monday, February 11th at 5:00 at the PSAC office, #210 - 1497 Admirals Road.

The agenda for this meeting will include

• Election of Chairperson/Secretary/Treasurer
• Election of Delegate to the BC PSAC Regional Convention
• Budget for the 2008 fiscal year
• Event for International Women’s Day
• Information on Oxfam Canada

• Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2008
• Time: 7-9 PM
• Location: The Richmond Caring Place,
• 7000 Minoru Blvd @ Granville
• Cost: minimum donation of $5 but no one will be turned away

Since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed power in the Philippines in January 2001, there are now more than 830 reported cases of extra-judicial killings and almost 200 cases of forcible disappearances in the Philippines. Despite this terror, the Filipino peoples resistance continues. The killings, mostly carried out by unidentified men often wearing face masks who shoot the victims before escaping on motorcycles, have rarely led to the arrest, prosecution and punishment of those responsible.

Come to a forum at the Richmond Women’s Resource Centre and learn more about the situation of women in the Philippines and how you can be a Sister In Solidarity.

For more information contact Philippine Women Centre of BC (604) 215-1103, pwc@kalayaancentre.net, www.kalayaancentre.net/pwcofbc or Richmond Women’s Resource Centre (604) 279-7060, www.richmondwomenscentre.bc.ca

Endorsed by the PSAC Vancouver Regional Women’s Committee

The next Vancouver Regional Women’s Committee meeting will be held on
Tuesday, January 22 @ 5:30PM
At the PSAC Satellite Office, 5128 Joyce Street
½ block south of the Joyce Street Skytrain Station (note different venue).

The agenda includes holding an election to send a delegate to the 2008 BC PSAC Regional Convention.
More agenda items to follow…

Please RSVP to the Vancouver RO - 604 430 5631 - if you plan on attending.

Each year PSAC members remember and mourn the 14 young women in Montreal attending the École Polytechnique who were killed on December 6, 1989. Each year we rededicate ourselves to end violence against women.

A recent study published by Statistics Canada (Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends 2006) points out that, while we acknowledge the problem, it stubbornly persists. “Women are more likely than men to be the victims of the most severe forms of spousal assault as well as spousal homicide, sexual assault and criminal harassment (stalking)”. Our news media inform us regularly of yet more women and girls who are victims of lethal violence.

It’s important to remember all the women who are victims of violence. It’s even more important to take action to end that violence. We need long-term systemic solutions that will allow women to function on an equal basis in our society. We need solutions that will ensure that women have the economic security they need to end their dependence on abusive relationships. We need governments that recognize that women’s equality is not yet a reality in Canadian society.

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OTTAWA – Women members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) from across Canada are meeting in Toronto from November 23 to 25 to strategize and hone their political skills.

The setting is the union’s triennial national women’s conference where several hundred delegates will attend workshops and debate resolutions under the theme Public Services…Pave the way to equality.

Recent federal government policies and cutbacks have had a negative impact on women’s equality and human rights. PSAC women are working to build the union’s political capacity and to develop action plans to defend and advance equality rights.

A keynote panel discussion on the state of women’s equality will feature three activist women who are no strangers to the continuing struggle for women’s rights. Michèle Asselin, the President of the Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ), was instrumental in the recent development of a Protocol of Solidarity between the FFQ and the Femmes autochtones du Québec.

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114 women missing from just 2 areas in British Columbia, the Highway of Tears between Prince Rupert and Prince George and the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.

• OCTOBER 4, 2007 VIGIL 1:00 PM—5:30PM
• CRAB PARK 101 E. WATERFRONT ROAD, Vancouver

Please join us for a vigil, BBQ and benefit to remember the well over 500 missing and murdered Aboriginal women across Canada, and to honour the missing and murdered Aboriginal women who have disappeared from the Down-town Eastside and the Highway of Tears here in British Columbia.

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OTTAWA – In spite of election promises by Stephen Harper, women’s groups who track women’s inequalities and advocate for change, such as the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) are being forced to close their doors, according to the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).

“During the last election campaign, Harper promised to do more to meet Canada’s international obligations to women’s equality,” says PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President Robyn Benson. “Less than a year after forming the government, then Minister responsible for the Status of Women Bev Oda declared women equal, closed most of the Status of Women Canada (SWC) regional offices and cut funding for research and advocacy.”

“Now, one by one, women’s organizations who lobby for change are being forced to shut down. Today, NAWL’s offices are closing and others are expected to follow.”

Women’s inequality in Canada is still very much an issue. Women are more likely to be poor and almost half of Canada’s poor children live with a single female parent. Women’s earnings are still 71% of men’s earnings and average incomes for Aboriginal, disabled and racialized women are even lower. Women make up 51% of the population but still only hold 20% of the seats in the House of Commons.

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The registration deadline for 2007 PSAC National Women’s Conference, which will be held November 23rd – 25th, 2007 at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, under the theme Public Services … Pave The Way To Equality! is September 10th

The objectives at our 2007 PSAC National Women’s Conference are to:

1. develop our analysis of the impact of federal government policies and cutbacks on women’s equality and human rights
2. understand the importance of quality public services for women as workers and members of society
3. increase PSAC sisters’ involvement in the campaign to Defend Quality Public Services and in coalitions working to defend and advance equality rights
4. build women’s political capacity and activism in the union, the community and beyond and develop action plans which are effective and easy to implement.

For more information, visit the national website or go directly to the Conference registration form.

The Philippine Women Centre of BC invites you to a multi-media report back from the Women’s International Solidarity Affair in the Philippines (WISAP) organized by GABRIELA-Philippines that was held from July 29 - August 5th, 2007.

• Date and time: Monday, September 10, 6:30 pm
• Venue: Kalayaan Centre, 451 Powell Street (see map)
• Who: All are welcome!

Monica Urrutia, member of the Philippine Women Centre of BC and staff of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, was one of the delegates to the WISAP and will be sharing her experiences from her exposure trip to Leyte province, and her participation in the 10th annual WISAP under the theme: The Women’s Vision - Strategies and Tactics of Women’s Resistance.

The application deadline is Friday, August 24^th.

The theme for our Conference is “Women and the Environment: Our Health, Our Families, Our Communities, Our Jobs”

Are you worried about how environmental degradation is affecting your health? your family? your community? your job? your leisure time? your safety? What’s happening to our environment is a women’s issue and a union issue.

Join with other union women at our upcoming women’s conference to learn more about what is happening to our environment, hear from union sisters who work in the front line federal departments about how government cutbacks are undermining our ability to protect each other, network with others in the union and community who are working together to save our planet, and find out how you can get involved.

The Conference will take place September 28,29,30 2007 at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, Burnaby, BC.

Apply on line here, or download an application form (pdf) and mail or fax it back to the Vancouver Regional Office. Please note the application deadline is Aug 24^th, and the resolution deadline is Aug 17^th. Resolutions may be submitted by PSAC constitutionally-recognized bodies and union structures.

To: PSAC Regional Women’s Committees

We are pleased to be sending you this Registration package for the 2007 PSAC National Women’s Conference, which will be held November 23rd – 25th, 2007 at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, under the theme PUBLIC SERVICES …PAVE THE WAY TO EQUALITY!

• More information & registration package at the national website.

This registration package is available upon request in Braille and/or on diskette (MS Word) through the PSAC Programs Section by contacting Sue Courchaine at 613-560-5457 or by email at courchs@psac.com

Conference Objectives

The objectives at our 2007 PSAC National Women’s Conference are to:

1. develop our analysis of the impact of federal government policies and cutbacks on women’s equality and human rights
2. understand the importance of quality public services for women as workers and members of society
3. increase PSAC sisters’ involvement in the campaign to Defend Quality Public Services and in coalitions working to defend and advance equality rights
4. build women’s political capacity and activism in the union, the community and beyond and develop action plans which are effective and easy to implement.

(more…)