In 2011, the fight for pay equity continues!

Small and medium enterprises with 10 ed-employees as well as large companies in Quebec had until last night (31 December) midnight to comply with the Pay Equity Act passed in 1996.

Retroactive compensation
Starting today, 1is janvier, if a company does not comply, its employees can complain. The offending companies will add a penalty of up to 8 %, the debt they owe to their employees, itself retroactive to 2001.

Furthermore, from 1 March, companies will, through a register run by the Department of Revenue, make a declaration to certify that they have made the exercise to check pay equity. Le gouvernement aura donc des données pour savoir ás here and made it here in the pas fait.

The business behind
The date 31 December 2010 is in fact an extension of the time given to companies to comply. adopted in 1996, the law on pay equity was originally supposed to be applied 2001. Despite this, in May 2009 barely 50 % Quebec companies had the exercise of pay equity audit. For its part, the Commission -government- Pay Equity (consisting of the same Act 1996) was abolished at the austerity measures last provincial budget. The government had yet boasted its merits and substantially increased its budget and staff the previous year.

Abolition of the Committee for Pay Equity
Members of the Coalition (People feminist) in favor of pay equity calling out the government in June 2010 so it does not abolish the Pay Equity Commission (THESE) and does not transfer to the staff Commission on Human Rights and Youth (CDPJ). They defended that " since its inception in 1996, ETUC has received over 4000 complaints and took almost 7000 decisions of various levels. During the year 2009-2010 only, it has treated nearly 9000 inquiries and provided 38 000 documents d’information, in addition to having participated in almost 6000 briefings and training. "Two opposition MP also claimed that" l’abolition […] causes a significant decline, be returning before the adoption of the Pay Equity Act 1996. Indeed, the operation of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse is based on the complaints by an individual. The mission of the Pay Equity Commission was developed to meet several people at once. This will not be possible in the future. For women who have to fight again individually, the government created a major setback for the right to fair. »

This article is largely based on Canada radio and press releases MPs and of popular and union feminist groups