TORONTO 005400680065 pay equity ruling for federal government employees is good news for flight attendants, who have been waiting nearly seven years for justice in their pay equity complaint.
The Airline Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees filed pay equity complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission against Air Canada in 1991 and Canadian Airlines in 1992. Neither case has been heard by a Human Rights Tribunal thanks to years of stonewalling by both companies.
“The companies took their lead from the federal government, which spent 14 years ignoring its own law 007400680065 Canadian Human Rights Act,” said Denise Hill, President of CUPE’s Airline Division.
“Finally these workers, who are mostly women, are seeing justice. Of course, no ruling can ever fully right the wrong of thousands of women being forced to live in poverty for years,” she added. “But this ruling is a big win for working women.”
Flight attendants, who are also predominantly women, have faced numerous roadblocks from their employers. Both companies have sought to block the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal from hearing the Division’s complaints. The companies have taken the position that flight attendants do not work in the same “establishment” as the male-dominated, better-paying professions of pilots, machinists and baggage handlers.
“Air Canada and Canadian have both taken an incredibly insulting position on our pay equity complaints, preventing us from getting to the substance of the issue 0061006e0020investigation of wage discrimination based on sex” emphasized Hill.
“Today’s ruling renews our confidence that the Human Rights Tribunal won’t stand by and let this kind of gross inequity continue. We look forward to resolving our case soon. Our members shouldn’t have to wait 14 years for fairness,” she concluded.
The complaints affect about 4,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and about 3,600 at Canadian. CUPE’s Airline Division represents 9,000 flight attendants at 10 different carriers.
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For more information, contact: Denise Hill, President, Airline Division of CUPE (416) 798-3399 ext. 227
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