(TORONTO, ON) – Action, not consultation is what will close the gender pay gap, says the Ontario Federation of Labour.
“The gender pay gap has been widely studied. The OFL has already submitted comprehensive recommendations to ensure pay equity for all Ontario workers,” said Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley. “Instead of consulting with big business, the government should be taking action on the recommendations the labour movement and the Equal Pay Coalition have already provided.”
The Progressive Conservative government paused the Pay Transparency Act which would stop reprisals against employees who request information about compensation from their employer, require all publicly advertised job postings to include a salary rate or range, stop employers from asking about past pay rates, and require large employers to track and report pay gaps.
“While the government dithers with consultations, women workers in this province are still making only 71 cents on the dollar. The government that cancelled decent work laws and the $15 minimum wage, both of which would have helped close the gender pay gap, is now asking employers how much trouble it would be for them to keep track of pay equity among their own employees,” said Ontario Federation of Labour Secretary-Treasurer Patty Coates. “Once again the government is ignoring the immediate needs of Ontario workers in favor of big business.”
“The pay gap for women workers, racialized workers, Indigenous workers and workers with a disability is an advantage for businesses that put profit over people,” said Coates. “The measure of our laws on closing the gender pay gap is not whether big business finds it onerous to implement them. The true measure of our laws is whether they proactively close the gender pay gap.”
The Ontario Federation of Labour represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.ofl-org.flywheelsites.com and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.
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For further information, please contact:
Meagan Perry,
Director of Communications
Ontario Federation of Labour
mperry@ofl-org.flywheelsites.com l 416-894-3456
