Meanwhile, the New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity is encouraged by the government’s decision to move towards gender neutral terms for jobs and offices.
The Gallant government has introduced legislation in which the Office of the Rentalsman will become the Residential Tenancies Tribunal, and the Office of the Ombudsman will become Ombud New Brunswick.
Two offices to be given gender-neutral nameshttps://t.co/3sTo40e9qg
— Government of NB (@Gov_NB) December 8, 2016
NBCPE Executive Director Johanne Perron says there is research behind the government’s decision.
“Studies have shown when you have gender neutral terms, you have greater participation of women, and you also reduce the stereotyping that goes with the job,” says Perron. “So it has an importance in changing the perception of the job.”
She adds you must follow up symbolic acts with policies like employment equity to ensure both men and women are able to equally access positions of leadership and power.
Let’s mark Human Rights Day by highlighting that pay equity is a human right! https://t.co/i8zKuaTAci
— Coalition4PayEquity (@Coalition4PENB) December 8, 2016
“You should also have pay equity, so that jobs that are mostly done by women, will also get a fair pay when compared to jobs that are mostly done by men and have the same value,” says Perron. “So yes, it’s important to act on a symbolic level, but you also need policies that will support more equality in the job market.”
Perron says they welcome the government’s decision, but want them to move further towards implementing equity policies.
She adds if you have policies in place, even if governments change, the supportive framework remains in place.
“Right now we have a government that’s open to having more women in leadership positions but when we change government, what will happen?” says Perron. “So you really want to change organizational culture.”
Perron says they are pushing the Gallant government to follow through on promises to mandate pay equity in companies with more than 50 employees who work with the province.
