ACTEW Re-Launches Contingent Work Fact Sheet

ACTEW has re-launched a more robust fact sheet focusing on contingent workers.  Compiling research from multiple sources, we document the rise of contingent work in Canada and demonstrate that women are more likely to be contingent workers than men. Contingent workers are paid less, less protected by employment and labour laws and policies, and have less access to work or government benefits. >more

New Money to Support non-EI-eligible Workers

The federal government has not provided any funding for the Labour Market Partnership Agreement (LMPA) but the federal budget tabled on Monday does allocate funds with a similar intention.

In 2008-09, the Conservative government will introduce a program worth $500 million per year to address the gap in labour market programming for those who do not qualify for training under Employment Insurance, and to encourage employers to provide more training.  It's unclear whether this is to honour the LMPA or replace it and whether this money will have similar allocations and target groups. In addition, the government has announced that it will explore the feasibility of transferring other existing federal Labour Market Programming to provinces and territories, currently totalling over $500 million per year. This might include programming for youth, Aboriginals, and people with disabilities. >more

Provincial Budget Seeks to Address Poverty

The Ontario Government tabled the 2007-2008 provincial budget on Thursday, March 22, 2007. The government’s pre-election budget is focused on addressing poverty within Ontario. Highlights include increasing the minimum wage over three years, 2% increase for people receiving social assistance or disabled benefits, and an additional $25 million for child care, doubling to $50 million in fiscal 2008.

Several organizations have provided an analysis of the Ontario budget and its impacts on working Ontarians. For example, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) has released an analysis that sees “a very short list of very modest initiatives spread out over a very long period of time.” >more

Report-back from  Jobs and Justice Conference, Vancouver
Deanna presented at the Jobs and Justice conference on March 29-31, 2007. Two other initiatives were profiled, including a research project on Welfare Reform in BC, and the work of Well-being through Inclusion Socially and Economically (WISE)—a group of women living in poverty addressing the causal link between poverty and policy. >more

New Report Finds Growing Income Gap
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) recently released a study The Rich and the Rest of Us: The Changing Face of Canada’s Growing Gap. The study, by Armine Yalnizyan, focuses on the incomes of Canadian families through 1970s to 2000s raising children under the age of 18. >more

Report from Conference on Women’s Human Rights in Canada
ACTEW’s project manager Deanna Yerichuk attended the two-day conference CEDAW in 2007-2008: Preparing for the Upcoming Review at the United Nations in Ottawa on March 9 and 10, 2007. FAFIA and Oxfam Canada partnered to host this opportunity to discuss the upcoming United Nations review of Canada under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) expected in late 2007 or early 2008. >more

Facts

• Contingent employment increased dramatically in the early 1990s. Currently almost one-third of Canadian workers are employed contingently with higher rates in some areas, like Toronto. (1)

• Contingent workers are less likely to have access to workplace-specific benefits, such as health plans and union coverage, and government-related benefits, such as Employment Insurance (EI), the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, and the Canadian Pension Plan. (1)

• Women working part-time made up 27% of the total Canadian workforce in 2004. In comparison, part-time male employees made up 11% of the workforce. (2)

• women of colour are the least likely to be employed all year and have the fewest weeks of employment per year. (3)

(1) Contingent Work Fact Sheet , ACTEW, 2007.

(2)Women and Work, Statistics Canada, 2006

(3) Is Work Working for Workers of Colour? Canadian Labour Congress, Ottawa, 2005.

Questions

How will the Federal and Provincial Ministries coordinate the fiscal policies to maximize women’s full economic participation?

How can contingent workers be better supported through devolving all labour market programming to the provinces?

How can consistent standards be kept and encouraged nationally while allowing for provincial and local decision-making for specific labour market needs?

Get Involved

Regional Meeting on Labour Force Development, Ottawa

•ACTEW is working with the Ottawa Women's Training and Employment Network (OWTEN) to bring together service providers and representatives from the provincial and municipal governments to discuss labour market policy and community services in Ottawa in mid-May, 2007.  For more information email policy@actew.org

2nd Annual Golden Horseshoe/Bi-Regional Day, grimsby

•ACTEW will be leading the keynote workshop at this full-day event for career / employment counselors and trainers near Grimsby, Ontario on June 19, 2007. >more

Opportunities 2007, Toronto

•ACTEW will be presenting on our work with Putting Women in the Picture at the Opportunities 2007 Conference Transitioning Towards Success. >more

Visit our web site to learn more about
Putting Women in the Picture