National Equity Committee
The role of the National Equity Committee is to provide recommendations to the USJE National Executive in regards to:
- Ways the employer could better deal with equity issues in the workplace
- Ways that USJE could better deal with equity issues within USJE
If you would like to contact the USJE Equity Committee, please email us at: USJEEquity-EquiteSESJ@psac-afpc.com
Updates
Local President and Equity Committee member Satinder Bains talks labour issues with Regina-Wascana Conservative MP Michael Kram
A Flag We’re Proud to Wave
It’s one of the most important — and recognizable — cultural icons of today. The Rainbow Flag is a symbol of pride representing LGBTQ2+ communities — lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and two-spirited plus — around the world. Created by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978, it was the brainchild of San Francisco’s Mayor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to hold public office. Creating a pride flag was a natural first step for USJE’s new Equity Committee, according to Committee Chair Lynette Robinson (USJE Atlantic RVP). Since many USJE members proudly join summer pride parades across Canada, it was apparent…
Committee Members
About Equity
What is employment equity?
Employment equity is a program of proactive, positive measures designed to:
1. Increase the representation of workers who have historically been disadvantaged in the workplace,
2. Identify and eliminate artificial barriers in the workplace that prevent equity group members from accessing jobs, promotions, training, etc.
Employment equity is the use of hiring policies that encourage fair representation of equity groups to a level that reflects their availability in the labour market. It’s about changing workplace culture and hiring practices so that members of these groups get jobs they are qualified to do.
Equally important is what happens after people are hired. Workplaces often have hidden bias or unnecessary barriers that create a negative environment for members of equity groups or prevent them from advancing in their careers on a fair and equal footing with other employees.
Who are the equity groups?
In the Employment Equity Act, the four designated groups are defined as:
- Women
- Indigenous people, whether First Nations, Métis or Inuit
- People with disabilities, which might be a physical, mental, sensory, psychiatric or learning impairment
- Visible minorities—this term is considered out of date, and more often we refer to Black and racialized people.
Why is equity important?
It’s about fairness. Employment equity recognizes that women, Indigenous people, racialized people, and people with disabilities are often held back—not because they lack ability—but because of things that are unrelated to their ability. Things like racism, discrimination, bias, stereotypes, assumptions, and systems that were not designed inclusively.
It’s about ensuring equal opportunity for all, by ensuring that hiring and promotion should be free from biases, favouritism, and prejudice, and that all workers should be recognized for their skills and abilities.
Discrimination is not always obvious and outright: sometimes it is embedded in our systems, practices, and policies. Employment equity is a proactive way of addressing systemic discrimination in the workplace.
