In 1998, a decision on pay equity by the federal Human Rights Tribunal paved the way for working women to achieve equity in the federal public service. Following from this tremendous victory, working women across the country started to become cognizant of what pay equity could mean for them — that there should be equal pay for work of equal value. It was formally recognized that it was no longer acceptable for gender to be used as a determinant of pay.

Despite this new consciousness, there has been little done within the province of Alberta. The Klein government, who is the largest employer of public sector unionized workers in the province has failed to follow the federal example.

Other unions have made greater progress in negotiating pay equity within their collective agreements. Workers in the private sector have experienced difficulty in integrating pay equity within their contracts.

Alberta still remains one of the only provinces without pay equity legislation, instead choosing to hide behind equal pay legislation that does nothing to equalize the wage gap that exists between men and women.

Recognizing the need for continued action on the issue of pay equity in the province, the Alberta Federation of Labour has developed a new two and a half-hour workshop. The workshop, meant as a "basics" on pay equity, examines everything from pay equity myths, to the current legislation, to basic contract language and the role for unions in the struggle for provincial pay equity.

For further information or to obtain a copy of the workshop for use at a union or local meeting, please contact the Women’s Department at the Federation.

Click here for a downloadable version of the AFL’s Pay Equity Workshop Notes