Moncton — The New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity welcomes the provincial government's temporary $3/hour wage top-up for workers who provide services to vulnerable residents and earn less than $18/hour.
"We are thrilled that the important work of caregivers across the community care sector is being recognized and more fairly compensated, albeit on a temporary basis. This essential workforce has told us time and time again that they are overworked, burned out and underpaid," says Krysta Cowling, Chair of the Coalition.
Women and men who provide care and services to children, the elderly, people with disabilities and women fleeing violence currently earn between $14 and $16.80 per hour. Their wages do not reflect the responsibilities, skills, efforts and working conditions required for their work.
"This is a temporary measure to recognize the additional challenges during this difficult time, but many of these challenges are their year-round reality, and personnel must be recognized and compensated accordingly. The top-up expires one week prior to the release of the 2022-2023 provincial budget. The provincial government's next step must be to make this well-deserved top-up permanent and aim for pay equity".
Services that will benefit from a pay top-up include:
- Direct in-person care as home support to adults or children
- In-person care in group homes, community residences, special care homes, homeless shelters and transition houses
- Domestic violence intervention
- Food banks
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The New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity is a group of individuals and organizations that pursues and ensures the realization of the right to pay equity and to just conditions of work for women. To that end, the Coalition engages in communication, education, research, advocacy for the adoption and the implementation of adequate legislation, as well as public policy dialogue and development.
Pay equity is equal pay for work of equal value. To achieve pay equity, the value of female-dominated jobs must be compared to the value of male-dominated jobs.