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26 domestic workers accused of trafficking a recruitment agency

Evelyn Calugay, PINAY militant

PINAY, activist organization of Filipino domestic workers in Montreal denounces human rights abuses and violations perpetrated by a placement agency and the ineffectiveness of authorities and government agencies in protecting the rights of cheated domestic workers.

Super Nanny, a placement agency headed by John Aurora(who was the subject of a Radio-Canada report on “Immigration scammers” in 2003) , load of women from the Phillipines to 4500$ US so they can immigrate to Canada under the domestic help program, but when these women arrive in Canada, they are left with no employer and no choice but to pay rent to the placement agency for a shared bed in a squalid unit rented by the agency.

Sylvia Cordova, one of the 26 workers to complain to human rights commission against John Aurora testifies: “When I got here, I was taken to John Aurora's house and we all slept in the same bed. I didn't know women, but many of us had to live in the same room. They had no choice but to live there. They asked me to sign a lease. They told me not to read it, to only sign it. I paid 4500$ with the promise of an employer and a better life in Canada. But when I got there, they told me they didn't have an employer for me.»

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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

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Sexism and racism are factors work discrimination

On le savait déjà, mais c’est encore confirmé par une récente étude publiée par le Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives: l’origine ethnique et le genre sont des facteurs de discrimination importants sur le marché du travail. L’étude est basée sur des données ontariennes, mais aucune raison ne permet de croire que le Québec puisse faire meilleure figure à cet égard.

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The exclusion of domestic workers: A long fight against discrimination and prejudice

Christiane Gadoury, UTTAM

Since many years, plusieurs organisations, dont l’Union des travailleurs et des travailleuses accidentés de Montréal, dénoncent le fait que les travailleuses domestiques soient exclues de la définition de travailleur dans la Loi sur les accidents du travail et les maladies professionnelles (LATMP) and, Therefore, ne puissent bénéficier automatiquement de sa protection. Au fil du temps, de plus en plus de voix se sont ajoutées afin de dénoncer cette situation inacceptable. So, depuis maintenant plus d’un an, the government, ne pouvant nier l’évidence, promet de corriger cette injustice incessamment. Mais toujours rien…

Pourquoi y a-t-il tant de résistance? Pourquoi y a-t-il de si longs délais? Voici l’histoire d’une longue lutte.

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Sex Work: “Decriminalization would protect our lives”

Le fait que le travail du sexe soit entouré de lois qui en criminalisent certains aspects a pour effet de plonger les travailleuses et travailleurs du sexe dans l’insécurité, la précarité et la violence, et les forcent à exercer leurs activités professionnelles dans une situation de vulnérabilité. Mais de plus en plus de travailleuses et de travailleurs de l’industrie se lèvent pour contester ces lois répressives qui mettent en danger leur santé et leur vies.

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Iranian publicize their claims

« Iran in fight »Inform the 19 January, that a group of Iranian activists has issued a statement with the list of their demands. They consider that the proposals put forward by the reformist leaders Moussavi and Karroubi, "Neglect" women's claims.

The declaration highlights the following claims : "Cancellation of all discriminatory and anti-women laws, recognition of women's rights over their own bodies and thoughts, end of violence against women and trial of all those responsible for the crimes committed over the past thirty years "as a solution to get out of the current crisis.

They add that the issue of women is an essential part of the current crisis and "that no solution will be effective" if it does not seek to resolve these issues.

The declaration also supports more general claims such as "freedom of thought, of expression and gathering ". While calling for an end to torture and the death penalty, they also express their request for "immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners".

Women's claims not so much "change of president or limitation of leader's power, statement says, but more the realization of fundamental and structural transformations ”.

Shadi Amin, Golrokh jahanguiri, Fariba Davoudi, Shadi Sadr, Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh and Shahla Abghari are among the signatories of this declaration.

Women have played a major role in recent protests in Iran and many women's rights activists have been arrested and imprisoned for participating in protests.

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