On International Women’s Day, the Ontario Federation of Labour celebrates hard-fought wins and ongoing efforts for achieving equality for women. Across our movement women are making change for themselves and for generations to come; we see those changes every day, but we celebrate them especially on International Women’s Day.
Women in leadership across the Ontario Federation of Labour commit their time and their expertise to working in solidarity. In the OFL executive, in labour councils, and in committees they fight to end the disadvantages women face in the workplace. Women are over two-thirds of part-time workers, and they are the majority of the 1.7 million Ontarians who work at or near minimum wage.
The Ontario Federation of Labour is committed, today and every day, to pushing hard for gender equality, and to fight for the liberation of all women.
In Ontario, workers won gains under the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act that advance the equality of women at work and in all areas of life, including five days paid leave for domestic and sexual violence survivors, and an increase to the minimum wage.
We will continue to win changes. This week the government of Ontario introduced the Pay Transparency Act which it says will set the province on a better path to achieving pay equity. This bill can and must go further to ensure that equal pay is the norm in our province and beyond. The Gender Pay Gap drives women into poverty, particularly Indigenous and racialized women. Women who are immigrants are paid, on average, 57 per cent as much as a white man. Overall, the gender pay gap is 31 per cent.
Ontario women are #donewaiting for an end to wage discrimination, sexual harassment and violence, and an end to the childcare crisis. This International Women’s Day, speak up. Take the pledge to let your politicians know what they can do to make equality a reality. To sign the pledge click here.
Today we celebrate the achievements of the past, and let those victories inspire our work for equality in the future. This International Women’s Day, join in the call for change.
The OFL represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.
