September 25, 1998
To:Corporate Services Committee
From:Committee on the Status of Women
Re:Pay Equity for Women in the Federal Public Service
Recommendation:
That City Council endorse the position of the Committee on the Status of Women as outlined in the attached
communication to the Prime Minister of Canada.
Comments:
At its meeting on September 17, 1998 the Committee on the Status of Women reaffirmed its decision to write to the Prime
Minister of Canada urging that the government not appeal the decision of the human rights tribunal regarding pay equity
for women in the federal public service. A copy of the letter to the Prime Minister of Canada is attached.
The Committee also decided to ask City Council to endorse its action.
Marbeth Greer
Committee Administrator
Attach. 1
c.c.Councillor Pam McConnell, Chair, Committee on the Status of Women
August 27, 1998
The Right Honourable Jean Chretien
Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister's Office
Ottawa, Ontario
Dear Prime Minister:
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Committee on the Status of Women for the City of Toronto to urge that you
do not appeal the decision of the human rights tribunal regarding pay equity for women in the federal public service.
The City's Committee on the Status of Women originated from the recommendation of the Report of the Royal
Commission on the Status of Women that municipalities establish advisory bodies on the status of women. In 1973,
former Mayor Crombie established a Task Force on Women's Issues.
One of the first activities of that Task Force was a review of the employment conditions of women in the civic work force.
The Task Force survey identified a wage gap of 21.5% between the men and women workers of our City. The City
responded by establishing a rigorous job evaluation program which is based on the principle of equal pay for work on
equal value through which the job content of any job could be evaluated without regard to the gender or personal
characteristic of the person holding the job.
In the City's 1986 brief to the Province of Ontario, Mayor Eggleton noted that between 1973 and 1986, that wage gap was
successfully reduced to less than 4 percent between men and women workers. The set up cost between 1977 and 1979 was
one percent (1%) of payroll. Between 1980 and 1984, during maintenance, the cost was less than one quarter of a percent
of payroll. After that the estimated ongoing cost was less than one tenth of one percent of payroll.
Clearly, there are strategies for paying women what they have earned. We are requesting that you do not appeal the
decision of the tribunal and that you commit to establishing a percent of federal payroll to recover the estimated $4b which
your employees deserve.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Pam McConnell
Chair, Committee on the Status of Women
ccWomen's organizations in Toronto
Toronto City Council
Toronto Area Members of Parliament
