workingwomenworkingpoor_letter_web

• There is an urgent need for government, labour and employers to develop a proactivestrategy to ensure women workers can transition from temp work arrangements topermanent status within the same workplace. The current practices which can be arbitraryand discriminatory, have effectively kept women in job ghettos with low pay and unsurejob prospects. A more equitable access to secure employment can be an issue that theWomen’s Directorate, Citizenship and the Ontario Human Rights Commission can jointlywork on.• A two or multiple tiered wage system is being forced on workers in both the public andprivate sectors. Unions should continue to resist this effort that penalizes younger workersor recent hires and create a divided workforce and solidarity.• Pay equity remains a significant issue for women. Unions and communities need tocontinue to be vigilant to ensure that all women are paid a fair wage.Strengthening social infrastructure• Community and Labour should renew the call for a national publicly funded childcaresystem that is affordable, universal and accessible to working women. Both Federal andOntario governments should consider the feasibility and adaptability of the Quebecmodel for implementation in Ontario.• Public services such as accessible and affordable transit, health care, library services, andcommunity and recreation centres are critical support services that keep women workersjuggling between work and family responsibilities with some reprieve and grace. In essence,public services in the community are women’s services. Unions and broader communitypartners must continue to resist the privatization of public services, contracting out andthe reduction of staff which leads to the reduction of services that women depend on.4 WORKING WOMEN, WORKING POOR