Mary Ann Leslie, Spokesperson, Ontario Midwives
Stations, the following is a news announcement. Suggested lead in 3, 2, 1…
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On November 27, Ontario Midwives filed an application with the Human Rights Tribunal over the government’s refusal to comply with pay equity for midwives.
Midwife Mary Ann Leslie says the government is breaking its own laws by not complying with pay equity.
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mIDWIVES HAVE TAKEN steps we expect will begin to right a LONG-TERM, societal wrong. Simply put, we’re suing the government under Human Rights legislation BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH pay equity. a RECENT pay equity report says midwives earn only 52 percent of what our work is worth. As midwives, we suffer a gender penalty because we’re a female-dominated work force, providing care to women, for a woman’s health experience of labour and birth – a perfect EXAMPLE of discrimination.
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Midwives say they’ve tried to work with government in the past but have been ignored for too long. Now, legal action at the Human Rights Tribunal is their last resort. For more information, visit www.ontariomidwives.ca.