Canadian Labour Reporter

lAboUr brieFs 2 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2014 ontario unions stand together in fi ght against 'devastating cuts' ottaWa — Six unions are joining forces to fight cuts to Ontario's public servants. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the Professional Engineers Government of Ontario (PEGO) — along with three other asso- ciations — have declared their support for AMAPCEO. The bargaining agents — representing 57,000 public servants working directly for the government of Ontario — pledged their support for AMAPCEO on April 16. They say the union is facing unprece- dented demands for cuts, claw- backs and concessions. "The employer is attacking not just AMAPCEO members, re- tirees and their families, but the entire public service in Ontario," said AMAPCEO president Gary Gannage. "The support of the other public service unions and associations is a powerful mes- sage of unity the government should pay attention to." Members' health and retiree benefits, sick pay and future sal- aries will reportedly be affected by the proposed cuts. "A successful attack on AMAPCEO members will only embolden the government when it comes time to bargain with OPSEU. AMAPCEO's fight is our fight, and together we can stand against the em- ployer's efforts to attack OPS employees, retirees and their families," said OPSEU president Warren "Smokey" Thomas. Negotiations between AMAPCEO and the provincial government are currently at a stand-still. While both sides have agreed to go to mediation, the union received a 94 per cent vote in favour of a strike in late March. ontario offi cially recognizes equal pay Day ottaWa — For the first time, the government of Ontario has proclaimed April 16 as Equal Pay Day. Meant to focus a spotlight on the earnings gap between men and women, the move has been lauded by unions and women's groups. "No more waiting and no more excuses," said the Ontario Federation of Labour's secre- tary-treasurer Nancy Hutchi- son. "Ontario's economy has for too long exploited women's labour and minimized the value of our work. We cannot and will not continue to endure this and are adamant that our daughters and granddaughters be treated equitably in the job market." On the eve of Equal Pay Day, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (an independent non-profit research organiza- tion focusing on economic and social policy), released a report highlighting the growing wage gap between men and women in Ontario. Entitled A Growing Concern: Ontario's Gender Pay Gap, the report found the gap had grown to 31.5 per cent. That is, on average, women made 68.5 cents for every dollar men made in 2011. According to the report, that translates to an an- nual increase in earnings by $200 for men — from $48,800 in 2010 to $49,000 in 2011. For women, that meant a decrease of $1,400 — from $35,000 in 2010 to $33,600 in 2011. According to the Equality Pay Coalition, it will take more than five decades to close that wage gap. "Without a new plan to combat pay inequity, at the current rate, Ontario women will have to wait about 52 years before they have the same average annual earn- ings as men," explained Mary Cornish, chair of the coalition and the report's lead author. While labour groups have called on employers to take pay and employment equity mea- sures, the battle remains an up- hill one, according to Cornish. She cited raising the mini- mum wage and public invest- ment in affordable child care as some examples to rectify the wage gap. A Buenos Aires bus terminal stood empty during labour action in Ar- gentina in early April. The 24-hour strike — held by opposition labour unions — was a press for wage increases in line with the infl ation rate. Bus drivers and other transportation workers took part in the labour action, slowing activity in the city. FoRMeRlY ClV RepoRts serving labour relations professionals since 1956 www.labour-reporter.com published weekly by omson Reuters Canada ltd. subscription rate: $595 per year Customer service tel: (416) 609-3800 (Toronto) (800) 387-5164 (outside Toronto) Fax: (416) 298-5106 email: carswell.customerrelations@ thomsonreuters.com Website: www.carswell.com Director, Carswell Media Karen Lorimer publisher John Hobel Managing editor Todd Humber news editor Sabrina Nanji | (416) 649-9348 sabrina.nanji@thomsonreuters.com news editor Liz Foster | (416) 298-5129 liz.foster@thomsonreuters.com Marketing Co-ordinator Travis Chan | (416) 609-5872 travis.chan@thomsonreuters.com © 2014 Carswell, a division of omson Reuters Canada Ltd. All rights reserved. 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