On behalf of the 150,000 members of the Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union of Canada, we thank you for giving us the opportunity to present our views on methods necessary to increase the participation of women in non-traditional occupations.
The CEP brings together workers from almost every occupation in Canada. Our sisters work at a variety of occupations in a multitude of industrial sectors. However, most of our female membership still work in the traditional occupations. The CEP also represents over 5,000 construction workers in Canada. These skilled-trades members are employed in small to large construction projects, mostly in western Canada. Unfortunately, our female construction membership reflects the national average, where only 4% of our construction workers are women, or just over 200 members. Combined, our construction members in Canada earn well over $15 million in wages and benefits each year, of which CEP female construction members only earn $600,000 in the same period.
The CEP finds this crisis in women's participation in non-traditional occupations unacceptable, but we also recognize that we are not any different from any other construction union in Canada in our reflection of structural problems. As many witnesses to this committee have already testified, there is an undeniably thick glass door that blocks women's entry into construction across Canada. This door was not built on the backs of women because of their anatomy and physiology. This barrier is in fact a man-made, institutionalized, artificial block, cemented by generations of discrimination against women. In other words, the CEP does not consider the physical or psychological status as women as relevant to the question of why so few women participate in construction in Canada.
We instead argue that the barriers are formed by poor educational and legislative decisions made by governments, educational institutions, employers, and unions. It is because of this analysis that the CEP is optimistic that this crisis can be reversed reasonably quickly and in time to assist Canada's construction industry with its pending chronic labour shortage. The CEP feels it can be part of the solution, both with our ideas and with our resources. We draw our proposed remedies in part from the excellent and unprecedented study on the crisis recently produced by the construction sector council, which also enjoyed funding from the Government of Canada's sector council program. We understand that this thorough scientific research paper on the participation of women in construction has already been made available to this committee. We respectfully request and recommend your careful review of it.
Our reading of this study makes it clear that two remedies are paramount. The first remedy, which is familiar to this committee, is multi-party targeted entry level trades training programs for female students who have been recruited expressly for the purpose of considering construction as a lifelong occupation. Throughout Canada, many institutions and organizations have engaged in these types of specific programs. In fact, it is exactly what the CEP has done in Saskatchewan. In 2009, the CEP humanity fund participated in a joint venture with the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Skills and Technology women in trades and technology program. The union's fund contributed $15,000 to the joint program that recruited, oriented, and educated over 20 aboriginal women in the Regina area on the basics of the construction industry.
They learned about the basic skills of the construction trade, the apprenticeship option and responsibility, the economic benefit of the construction industry, and the tricks of the trade they needed to get their boots on the job. After a successful graduation from the six-month classroom exploration of the industry, the CEP immediately dispatched four eager participants to a nearby construction project that we represent. The CEP is walking the talk and has, with our partners, successfully brought women into construction who otherwise would not have participated.
The CEP believes that this committee can and must recommend to Parliament that more similar programs are needed immediately across Canada.
The second CEP remedy to this crisis is more dramatic. We believe that if we are to immediately attract women into construction, the owners or payers of construction projects must demand increased participation of women as a condition of their project.
Owners of construction, from condominium developers to receivers of Government of Canada stimulus moneys, should employ a gender-based hiring quota as a condition of contract for their builders. The CEP has long fought for equity hiring in its construction collective agreement, and we argue it is reasonable for construction project owners to demand it in their service contracts.
Currently, funding agencies place dozens of contract conditions on their construction projects. The CEP proposes that this committee recommend to Parliament that the Government of Canada lead by example and require a condition be added that would increase the participation of women in funded projects.
We urge you to recommend to Parliament that the Government of Canada's construction funding become an agent of change and turn the tide of women's participation in construction.
In conclusion, the CEP recognizes the crisis in construction concerning women's participation. We say the artificial barriers can be removed by aggressive educational opportunities for women, combined with proactive contractual obligations that will compel their hiring.
We thank you.