Tuesday, January 31, 2023
THE SENIOR HEALTH LETTER
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Home Care
  • Elder Care
  • Wellness
  • Dementia
  • Caregivers
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Assisted living
  • Mindfulness
  • Seniors advocate
The Senior Health Letter
No Result
View All Result
Home Elder Care

Budget a missed opportunity: pay equity groups

Delmar by Delmar
March 18, 2021
in Elder Care
0
Foster-care system being revamped in wake of boy’s death in Barrie home
0
SHARES
1
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Feminist leaders say New Brunswick’s latest budget is a start, but don’t break out the champagne just yet.

Christine Griffin, associate director of Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick said Tuesday’s budget demonstrates a “lack of ambition.”

While a move to introduce some element of gender-based analysis – using a lens which looks at the way policies may disproportionately affect different demographics – was included in the budget, like small investments in salaries for care workers who are mostly women, and applauded by the group, “this is not a feminist budget,” Griffin said.

Investments being made aren’t enough to close to wage gap, she said.

The province showed a willingness to invest in social infrastructure, like some investments in housing, she said, but investments needed to be higher. The budget missed “an opportunity to be innovative, to invest in the public sector in a way that would ensure that all New Brunswickers were included,” she said, and that the specific ways that the pandemic affected women would be fully taken into account.

“We feel that this did not quite reach the mark,” Griffin said.

While some investments in sectors dominated by women were good to see, such as a pay hike for early childhood educators, investments were not at a level to reach pay equity, said Johanne Perron, executive director of the New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity.

“We are glad the budget recognizes the essential role caregivers and early childhood educators play in caring for the most vulnerable New Brunswickers, and how wages represent an important metric in recognizing the value of that work and improving the recruitment and retention of these workers,“ Perron said. ”However, it falls short of a five-year plan to reach pay equity and bring stability to the sector.“

The budget included an hourly increase of 75 cents for the wages of trained early childhood educators, bringing their hourly rate to $19.

But the investment in wage increases is not enough to reach pay equity this year, nor is it enough to reach it in five years, said Perron, noting wages should be $22 to $25 per hour in the caregiving sector.

She also worried about other jobs in the care field which have fallen below that payscale, including many women-dominated jobs in special care, elder care and those at transition centres for women fleeing domestic violence.

When certain jobs are dominated by women, the coalition is asking the province to have jobs evaluated and compared to jobs that may be in fields dominated by men but require similar education, skills and other factors, said Perron.

Legislation requiring this evaluation to occur in the private sector already exists in Quebec and other regions, providing a clear model the coalition itself uses, she said. The organization is calling for the same in New Brunswick, noting the legislation exists here in the public sector but not in the non-profit or private sectors.

Women in the labour force have been hit harder by the pandemic, she said, noting more of the caregiving roles are being done by women and more women left their jobs during the pandemic, something the government has recognized, Perron said, while calling the budget “a missed opportunity to invest in an inclusive recovery.”

Loading…

Loading…Loading…Loading…Loading…Loading…

“We could have been bolder,” she said, adding it is disappointing to see a bigger investment wasn’t made despite all the attention on the importance of these frontline workers during the pandemic.

While some sectors will be a bit in the dark until the legislature’s estimate process occurs, it is clear the province needs to invest more heavily in the caregiving and childcare sectors, she said.





Source link

Tags: budgetEquitygroupsmissedOpportunitypay
Advertisement Banner
Previous Post

Home Care Workers Demand Fair Pay

Next Post

The Stress-Busting, Mood-Lifting Effects of Mindfulness During Pregnancy

Delmar

Delmar

Next Post
The Stress-Busting, Mood-Lifting Effects of Mindfulness During Pregnancy

The Stress-Busting, Mood-Lifting Effects of Mindfulness During Pregnancy

Discussion about this post

Recommended

Carteret Landing Assisted Living helping to sponsor Balsam Range Concert – Carolinacoastonline

Carteret Landing Assisted Living helping to sponsor Balsam Range Concert – Carolinacoastonline

2 years ago
Forgetfulness does not necessarily mean dementia – The Star Online

Forgetfulness does not necessarily mean dementia – The Star Online

2 years ago

Don't Miss

(2021-2026) Nursing Home Beds Market Size, Demand Status | Global Industry Segment Analysis, Growing Status of Key Players

Advice You Need To Know About Personal Development

May 12, 2021
Asceneuron Receives USD 2.2 Million Award from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation

Advocate Aurora Enterprises acquires national leader in home care and wellness offerings Senior Helpers

April 1, 2021
‘I’m in jail’: BPS mothers and caregivers voice concerns with district reopening plans

‘I’m in jail’: BPS mothers and caregivers voice concerns with district reopening plans

April 1, 2021
As Loved Ones Reunite After A Year, Dementia Experts Offer These Tips

As Loved Ones Reunite After A Year, Dementia Experts Offer These Tips

April 1, 2021

Categories

  • Alzheimer's
  • Assisted living
  • Caregivers
  • Dementia
  • Elder Care
  • Home Care
  • Mindfulness
  • Seniors advocate
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellness

Follow us

Recent News

(2021-2026) Nursing Home Beds Market Size, Demand Status | Global Industry Segment Analysis, Growing Status of Key Players

Advice You Need To Know About Personal Development

May 12, 2021
Asceneuron Receives USD 2.2 Million Award from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation

Advocate Aurora Enterprises acquires national leader in home care and wellness offerings Senior Helpers

April 1, 2021
March 2021
S M T W T F S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  
    Apr »
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2021 The Senior health Letter

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Home Care
  • Elder Care
  • Wellness
  • Dementia
  • Caregivers
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Assisted living
  • Mindfulness
  • Seniors advocate

© 2021 The Senior health Letter