Letter: Equal pay a right

On April 16, citizens of Sudbury joined thousands of men and women across Ontario to mark the second annual Equal Pay Day.

This date is symbolic of the point during the current year when the average Ontario woman earns the same wage that an average man earned by the end of the previous year.

Sadly this gender gap has widened this past year. It has increased from 28 per cent to 31 per cent. The gap widens even further for women marginalized by race or disabilities.

Over a lifetime of employment, this means that a woman would have to continue working to age 80 when her male counterpart can retire at age 65. Every household where a female worker is paid less than her male counterpart suffers needless economic hardship.

The Equal Pay Coalition holds Equal Pay Days to create awareness for the need to close the gender wage gap and bring about the needed changes to our pay equity laws.

Let’s you and I start the conversation about this inequity. This should not be acceptable to anyone and should not be perpetuated by any employer.

Pay equity is a human and an economic right. BPW Sudbury encourages you to engage in discussion about this issue. Ask your MP and MPP what steps are being taken to eliminate this gap and create a fair and balanced system for all.

To learn more about Equal Pay Day and to sign the declaration please visit equalpaycoalition.org.

Anne Finlay
President, Business and Professional Women Sudbury