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Montreal, August 9, 2000 - The Employees Union of the University of Montreal, Local 1244 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE-QFL), made up mainly of office workers, is very happy with the decision handed down this week by the Human Rights and Youth Rights Tribunal in the case of Laval University.

This decision maintains that it is discriminatory to have a multi-level pay scale for work that is predominantly done by women and a one-level pay scale (corresponding to the top of the scale) for work that is predominantly done by men. This confirms the unions claim that there is discrimination and pay inequity between men and women.

In 1996, the Employees Union of the University of Montreal filed a wage discrimination complaint against the discriminatory character of different pay scales that were applied to office work, done mainly by women and to trades and service work, done mainly by men. In fact, the University of Montreal applies the same pay scales as Laval University.

We have been fighting for over ten years for justice for women employees of the University of Montreal. Unfortunately, we also had to proceed via a wage-discrimination complaint. Instead of increasing the pay for womens work and bringing it up to its real worth, the university tried to show that mens work was overpaid. But, the Tribunal reminded universities that they must abide by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that women must be paid according to the same pay scale as men. How many more years must we wait for the University of Montreal to understand this? , said Michel Ducharme, President of the Union.

The Union is determined to continue the fight and the decision by the Tribunal has given new hope to all those who filed a complaint against the University of Montreal. According to the Union, compensation could amount several million dollars, since more than 600 employees filed a complaint. Mr. Ducharme mentioned that it will be interesting to observe the behaviour of the University of Montreal now that the Tribunal has confirmed that there is discrimination.

Source:
Andr 004cortie, CUPE-QFL Union Information Representative
(514) 384- 9681 ext.270


For Information:
Michel Poirier, CUPE-QFL Union Representative
(514) 726-1692

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