Cuts to the workplace equity program means more inequality for Canadians

Employment inequality likely to increase due to reduced monitoring resources of government department.

Ottawa (20 July 2012) - According to the six public sector unions operating under the umbrella of the Professionals Serving Canadians, the federal government's Workplace Equity Program will be facing increased difficulty due to diminished resources.

The program monitors private sector employers to see if they respect the legislation on employment equity. The program itself will not be cut, but at least 18 of its 35 employees will be affected. The cuts compromise important monitoring of private sector legislation concerning employment equality and means that private sector employers who do not follow the legislation will not be monitored as frequently. Without a check and balance, workers may face more difficulty in having their rights respected.

Like the cuts to the National Council of Welfare, the dismantaling of Rights and Democracy, and the gutting of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the reduction in service at the Workplace Equity Program continues a trend of the government eliminating valuable resources to ensuring the rights and well being of Canadians is respected.

The list of Harper's attack on democracy and public institutions is growling every day. For an accounting of the Harper government's democractic deficit, visit the National Union of Public and General Employee's (NUPGE) inventory at http://nupge.ca/issues/harpers-democratic-deficit.

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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE

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