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The struggle against wage discrimination goes back over a century in New Brunswick.
Mai 2011 The minister responsible for the Status of Women, Margaret-Ann Blaney, says that even though the job evaluations for the home care and child care sectors are completed, she will wait for the results of the job evaluations in group homes and transition houses before announcing any wage adjustments. In other words, no money will not be announced before the 2012-2013 budget.
April 2010 The Pay Equity Act, 2009 comes into full force.
2009 Mary Schryer, Minister responsible for the Status of Women, introduced the Pay Equity Act, 2009. The Act covers the civil service, health, education and Crown corporations. It was assented to June 19, 2009 and will come into force in April 2010. The regulation under the Pay Equity Act, 2009 will enter into effect at the same time, that is the 1st April, 2010.
2007 The government released its first progress report on the 5-year Wage Gap Action Plan for New Brunswick. No data is yet released on the placement of pay equity programs in the private sector.
2006 In their election platform, Charter for Change, Shawn Graham’s Liberals promise to extend pay equity legislation to all of the public sector and to “bring together all stakeholders to further address issues raised at recent public hearings with the goal of extending pay equity to the private sector through legislation”. They are elected on September 18.
December 2005 The Law Amendment Committee released its report on Bill 77. It recommends NOT adopting the Bill but supports the voluntary Action Plan on the Wage Gap. However it recommends legislating in five years if no progress is made.
June 2005 Margaret Ann Blaney released her Wage Gap Action Plan, in response to the Round Table’s recommendations, on June 2, 2005. The five-year action plan outlines four goals, which includes increasing “the use of pay equity practices” in the private sector and achieving “pay equity in the public service,” without legislation.
November 2004 The Law Amendment Committee held public hearings and received written submissions on Bill 77. Out of 34 public presentations, 30 were in favor of Bill 77 as is or with minor modifications.
June 2004 Elizabeth Weir, leader of the New Democratic Party, introduced the bill proposed by the Coalition for Pay Equity (bill 77) at the Legislative Assembly. Carmel Robichaud, Liberal MLA, seconded the introduction of the bill. The bill was sent to the Law Amendment Committee.
2004 The Coalition for Pay Equity drafted Pay Equity Legislation.
2003 The minister’s Wage Gap Roundtable released its report, which recommended voluntary measures for five years, followed by an evaluation and, if progress was limited, the implementation of “appropriate wage gap reduction legislative mechanisms, applicable to both the private and public sectors of the New Brunswick economy.”
The Coalition for Pay Equity and the NB Federation of Labour put forward independent recommendations asking the government to adopt a law on pay equity and to develop a strong education campaign as soon as possible.
2002 Margaret Ann Blaney, then minister responsible for the Status of Women, set up a Wage Gap Roundtable.
2000 The New Brunswick World March of Women 2000 committee and the Women’s Union for Pay Equity asked the government for a law on pay equity.
1998 The Fédération des dames d’Acadie founded the Women’s Union for Pay Equity, which became the Coalition for Pay Equity in 2001.
1991 The NB Federation of Labour presented its brief Pay Equity Legislation in New Brunswick to the provincial government and recommended applying the Pay Equity Act to the public and private sectors.
1989 Frank McKenna’s government passed the Pay Equity Act, which only covered employees in Part I of the civil service (i.e. civil servants).
1987 Premier Richard Hatfield promised a law on pay equity for the public and private sectors.
1980 The NB Advisory Council on the Status of Women (ACSW) analyzed certain public jobs in NB. At the time, untrained male nurses earned $26 to $27 per evaluation point and Liquor Commission clerks $22, while registered nurses earned between $8 and $15.
1971 The provincial government passed the Human Rights Act, of whicharticle 3(1) stipulated that: “no employer shall discriminate against any person in respect to employment or any term or condition of employment because of sex.”
1965 The government passed a law stipulating the same minimum wage for men and women.
1899 Robert Emmerson, Premier of NB, pointed out that a woman received little more than half the wages a man received for the same work and that this was discrimination. |
