November 24, 2017 at 1:00 PM
This November 25, 2017: demand economic justice and an end to Violence against Women
Tomorrow is the United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and Unifor is continuing our push for Paid Domestic Violence Leave and for a Women’s Advocate in all our workplaces in Atlantic Canada.
This is a good time to remind ourselves of the work we did this past June at Atlantic Council, when we passed a motion calling on our locals to negotiate a Women’s Advocate in every collective agreement to ensure there is workplace-based assistance to all workers facing domestic violence. We also decided to push for Paid Domestic Violence Leave in provincial legislation and in all our collective agreements. Efforts to get paid leave for victims of domestic violence are currently underway in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
According to Statistics Canada, one woman is killed every six days in Canada by her current or former intimate partner. Last year Unifor lost one of our own when Cape Breton’s Sarabeth Forbes, 33, died. Her common-law partner was charged with her murder.
Since then Unifor has made progress by working collaboratively with other unions and government on a joint working group in New Brunswick, where the government recently announced anti workplace violence legislation. This will help improve safety in NB workplaces around issues like harassment and violence, but we continue to push for paid leave for victims of domestic violence.
We know there is more to do to increase women’s economic security and end gender-based violence by supporting programs that break down gender barriers to women entering and staying in underrepresented occupations. We will continue to fight for Pay Equity in the Region. Through collective bargaining, organizing, by demanding an affordable childcare program and supporting the $15 and Fairness Campaign will be make a difference in advancing the equality of women and making our communities and economies stronger.
We can do this!
Join a Unifor campaign, and help us lobby for economic support for workers facing domestic violence, so we can close the gender pay gap and end violence against women.
Much solidarity!
Lana Payne
Atlantic Regional Director
Unifor
Source: Unifor
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