Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling might end a 20-year-long pay equity battle
Canada Post is appealing the human rights tribunal’s $150-million award to 6,000 Canada Post workers that could finally put an end to Canada’s longest pay equity fight.
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found a wage gap between the clerical workers, mostly women, and workers in the operations group, who were mostly men, from 1982 to 2002.
The decision awards back-pay covering the period of the wage gap. However, the award will be discounted by half because “job information and the non-wage compensation issues have created uncertainty in the determination of the wage gap,” said the ruling.
Canada Post denied discriminating against women. A spokesperson said if there was a pay gap, it was because two separate unions were involved in bargaining.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada, the union representing the postal workers, lost its bid to win costs in the case and the tribunal denied any special compensation, stating that Canada Post wasn’t reckless in its actions.
