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The federal government’s decision to appeal a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling on pay equity in the federal public service is a serious attack on women’s right, says CUPE President, Judy Darcy.

“The Liberals have declared open season on women’s rights” said Darcy “After 14 years of stalling tactics, they’ve sent a signal that no other employer need follow the law, since the lawmakers themselves are evading it. It’s a licence to steal money from the pockets of working people.

The appeal has dire consequences for CUPE’s largest group of federally regulated employees: flight attendants. Attendants at Air Canada and Canadian Airlines have been waiting for equality since filing pay equity complaints in the early 1990s.

Our complaint hasn’t even been heard because the airlines tool their lead from the feds, using every trick in the book to dodge their legal responsibilities, ” said Airline Division President, Denise Hill. Don’t doubt the companies will continue to blindly follow the government’s irresponsible behaviour.

The pay equity disgrace is yet another in the long line of broken Liberal promises - the GST, child care, free trade. In 1993 Jean Chrétien committed to honour any decision of the tribunal.

NDP MP Bev Desjarlais condemned the continued delay in providing equality in the federal public service: “Every month the Liberals delay, the inequity continues”.