Pay Equity

The campaign to win equal pay for work of equal value gathered widespread support during the 1970s and 80s. This button shows solidarity with that fight.

This subsection contains material on feminist and labour organizing to bring about changes in legislation and close the gender pay gap. Items address hiring and promotional practices that discriminate against women; pay gaps on the basis of gender, race, status, and other structural factors; and making training and benefits equally available to all women in paid employment.

Archival Materials

Buttons

A generic button for women that declares her support for economic justice.
Another Woman for Economic Justice

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
The campaign to win equal pay for work of equal value gathered widespread support during the 1970s and 80s. This button shows solidarity with that fight.
Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Equal Pay is Fair Pay

  • Year created:

    --

  • Language:

    English
The button demands immediate action on equal pay for women. The campaign won strong support in both the feminist and labour movements.
Equal Pay Now!

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
This button represents solidarity with the thousands of women who worked as operators Bell Canada and endured very poor pay and working conditions. The unionization of Bell Canada operators by the Communications Workers was a huge victory for working women and the labour movement.
Help Crack Bell

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
This Wages for Housework button supports the campaign to stop cutbacks to the SEEK (Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge) programme at the City of New York University. SEEK provided financial support to Third-World students, and especially women. The campaign also targeted efforts by social services to cut women off welfare supports.
No Cuts, Just Bucks – Black Women for Wages for Housework

  • Year created:

    1977

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Undated button of the Food and Service Workers of Canada (FASWOC). FASWOC represented the cleaners, almost all Portuguese immigrant women, who went on strike at the First Canadian Place in Toronto in 1984. After six weeks, the strike ended in victory.
O povo unido, jamais será vencido! F.A.S.W.O.C

  • Year created:

    1984

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
This Ontario Federation of Labour button supports of equal pay for work of equal value.
Ontario Federation of Labour – Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
The button highlights the fight to challenge the pink ghetto and end gender stereotyping of women's role in the workplace.
TYPING is not a Female secondary sex characteristic

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
The button was created by the Feminist Action Collective (Ottawa) around 1981 and distributed with the leaflets on women's work and also produced by the FAC .
women’s work…no pay, low pay….some choice!

  • Year created:

    1981

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English

Documents
Brief on the Minimum Wage and a “Tip Differential”

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
thumbnail of Canadian Labour Congress Statement on Women’s Rights -1974
Canadian Labour Congress Statement on Women’s Rights -1974

  • Year created:

    1974

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
thumbnail of Canadian Labour Congress Submission on Bill C-62 Employment Equity
Canadian Labour Congress Submission on Bill C-62 Employment Equity

  • Year created:

    1985

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) – The Coder Classification Dispute: Fighting for Equal Pay

  • Year created:

    1984

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE): 10 Pay Equity Myths

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE): Heading ‘Em Off at the Pay Gap

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE/SCFP) – The status of women in CUPE/ la situation de la femme dans le SCFP

  • Year created:

    1971

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English and French
CLC Submission to the Royal Commission on the Status of Women (1968)

  • Year created:

    1968

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Elect Carol Phillips for OFL Vice-President 1986

  • Year created:

    1986

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Elect Irene Harris: OFL Vice President 1993

  • Year created:

    1993

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English and French
Elect Judy Darcy for OFL Vice-President 1988

  • Year created:

    1988

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Elect Julie Griffin for the 1st Executive Vice-President of the OFL 1986

  • Year created:

    1986

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
thumbnail of clc-womenunionsequalpartners-folder-1981
Equal Partners for Change: Women and Unions

  • Year created:

    1981

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Equal Partners for Change: Women and Unions

  • Year created:

    1979

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Equal Partners for Change: Women and Unions – Here to Stay: Women in the Work Force

  • Year created:

    1979

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Equal Partners for Change: Women and Unions – To Seize the Good: The History of Women in Unions

  • Year created:

    1979

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Equal Partners for Change: Women and Unions – Women and the Canadian Labour Congress

  • Year created:

    1979

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Equal Partners for Change: Women and Unions – Reaping the Benefits

  • Year created:

    1979

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Equal Partners for Change: Women and Unions – Using Your Union

  • Year created:

    1979

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Equal Pay Coalition – Response to Elgie on Bill 3 at IWD, Toronto, 1979

  • Year created:

    1979

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Equal Pay Coalition Pay Equity Kit – Glossary of Terms

  • Year created:

    1986

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Equal Pay Coalition Pay Equity Kit – Index of Materials

  • Year created:

    1986

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Equal Pay Coalition Pay Equity Kit – Political Action Sheet

  • Year created:

    1986

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Equal Pay for Equal Work

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value

  • Year created:

    1977

  • Author(s):

    Margot Trevelyan, Madeleine Parent, Michelle Swenarchuk, Marymay Downing, Mary Cornish

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Fact Sheet – Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Information Pamphlet

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
International Women’s Day Toronto (1981) – Pamphlet

  • Year created:

    1981

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
International Women’s Day Toronto (1981) – Pamphlet

  • Year created:

    1981

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
International Women’s Day Toronto (1984) – Pamphlet

  • Year created:

    1984

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Letter – Petition (May 1977)

  • Year created:

    1977

  • Author(s):

    Ellen Agger

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Mary Simms for Vice President 1991

  • Year created:

    1991

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Money for Waitresses is Money for All Women!

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Money for Waitresses is Money for All Women!

  • Year created:

    1977

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
thumbnail of Ontario Federation of Labour Convention Statement on Women (1975)
Ontario Federation of Labour Convention Statement on Women (1975)

  • Year created:

    1975

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Ontario Pay Equity Law: One Million Denied

  • Year created:

    1988

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
OSSTF Urges Amend this Pay Equity Legislation (Update) – October 1986

  • Year created:

    1986

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
thumbnail of Pay Equity – can we make it work?
Pay Equity – can we make it work?

  • Year created:

    1987

  • Author(s):

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Pay Equity: It’s Only Fair

  • Year created:

    1990

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Pay Equity: What’s the Story?

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Re-Elect Irene Harris as OFL Vice-President 1995

  • Year created:

    1995

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English and French
Re-Elect Mary Simms for OFL Vice-President 1993

  • Year created:

    1993

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Reflections of an Ex-Status of Women Committee Member (Forum) – December 1982

  • Year created:

    1982

  • Author(s):

    Mike Miller

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
Sex, Race and Class

  • Year created:

    1975

  • Author(s):

    Selma James, Darcus Howe, Barbara Beese, Mala Dhondy

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
thumbnail of Special Issues for Union Women Today – CLC Women’s Bureau
Special Issues for Union Women Today – CLC Women’s Bureau

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Strategies: Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value, Margot Trevelyan

  • Year created:

    1978

  • Author(s):

    Margot Trevelyan

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English
The Pattern of Female Employment at De Havilland Aircraft: Brief to the Commission of Inquiry on Equality in Employment

  • Year created:

    1983

  • Author(s):

    Wendy Cuthbertson

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
thumbnail of clc-unionsworkforwomen-leaflets
Unions Work for Women

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English
Why is there so much month left at the end of the money?

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    British Columbia

  • Language:

    English
Women and Unions: Bringing Women into the Union Movement – Panel and Workshop Agenda

  • Year created:

    1980

  • Region:

    Nova Scotia

  • Language:

    English

Films

Don’t Call Me Baby

  • Year created:

    1975

  • Filmmaker(s):

    Margot Trevelyan

  • Language:

    English

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)
Leaders debate women’s issues in 1984

  • Year created:

    1984

  • Filmmaker(s):

    Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

  • Language:

    English and French

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)
Black and white still from the film "Who's Counting?" depicting Marilyn Waring, a middle aged white woman with short brown hair, looking off to the side of the frame.
Who’s Counting? Marilyn Waring on Sex, Lies and Global Economics

  • Year created:

    1995

  • Filmmaker(s):

    Terre Nash

  • Language:

    English

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

Photos

This is an undated photo of union women at the Toronto International Women's Day March. Placards feature OPSEU and the Canadian Labour Congress calls for an End to Sexual Harassment and Equal Pay.
International Women’s Day (Toronto) – Union Women

  • Year created:

    --

  • Photographer:

    Diana Meredith

  • Region:

    Ontario
Toronto International Women's Day March in 1983 protests Mini-Skools.
International Women’s Day 1983 (Toronto) – Mini-Skools Pays Mini-Wages

  • Year created:

    1983

  • Photographer:

    Diana Meredith

  • Region:

    Ontario
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) contingent march at the 1983 International Women's Day March in Toronto carry placards carry calling for equal pay, paid maternity leave, ending sexual harassment, and social service cuts.
International Women’s Day 1983 (Toronto) – Ontario Public Service Employees Union

  • Year created:

    1983

  • Photographer:

    Judy Blankenship

  • Region:

    Ontario
Members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) join the 1983 International Women's Day March in Toronto. Their placards highlight paid maternity leave, equal pay, and stopping sexual harassment, as well as the right to strike and social service cutbacks.
International Women’s Day 1983 (Toronto) – Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)

  • Year created:

    1983

  • Photographer:

    Judy Blankenship

  • Region:

    Ontario
This photo was taken in 1980 of UAW activist Roxie Baker (right) with Karen Malcho of Local 1325. Roxie Baker was president of the Canadian Auto Workers Local 1325 for 23 years. In that time she led the way for protections of particular significance to women including protections from sexual harassment. She also raised issues of equal pay and maternity and adoption leave benefits. Roxie was a longstanding member of the UAW, later CAW, Women's Committee.
Roxie Baker: CAW Activist

  • Year created:

    --

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)
Debbie Field (left) was one of five women who fought discrimination as part of the “Women Back into Stelco” Committee. In 1978-79, the ad hoc Women Back Into Stelco Committee, supported by United Steelworkers Local 1005, launched a campaign to force Stelco management to hire women for the well-paying production jobs at the Hilton works in Hamilton Ontario.
Women Back into Stelco Campaign: Debbie Field

  • Year created:

    1978

  • Region:

    Ontario
This 1978 photo of striking workers at Puretex Knitting was part of the Organized Working Women Archives. OWW held solidarity pickets and actions in support of these striking women seeking better working conditions and pay.
Women Strikers at Puretex Knitting

  • Year created:

    1978

  • Region:

    Ontario

Posters
May 27 Equal Pay Rally

  • Year created:

    1979

  • Region:

    Ontario

  • Language:

    English