New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity begins provincial tour

NB Coalition for Pay Equity begins provincial tour The New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity is embarking on a provincial tour to raise awareness about pay equity.

The New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity wants to have pay equity legislated, and they're taking their message on the road.

"What we really want is to have pay equity legislation in the private sector,” said Johanne Perron, executive director of the New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity.

“That means that anybody, men and women who are in those jobs mostly done by women typically or historically that those jobs would be paid fairly,” Perron said.

Care home workers, which is a predominantly female-driven sector, say colleagues are leaving because they can make more money elsewhere.

"My son when he was in high school he cut and trimmed Christmas trees and he was making more money at his job than I was at my job of 20 years,” said care worker Laurie Anderson.

Touring under the banner ‘Stand Up for Our Rights!’ the coalition is focusing on pay equity, but will also address pay transparency and the urgent need for investments in wages in the care sector.

"I do feel that the work that we do is very important, it's very necessary,” said Anderson.

“We become family to a lot of these residents and we have connections with them and that's what does keep me there, it certainly isn't the wages.”

Ontario and Quebec are the only provinces that currently have pay equity legislation.

"We've seen what it's doing, we've seen it happening, it's feasible,” Perron said.

“The province didn't go bankrupt because of that so we've got plenty of evidence that it's going to be beneficial for workers and businesses.”

The New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity will hold meetings in six regions throughout New Brunswick, from Saint John to Edmundston, starting Monday through to Oct. 30.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.