Thank you, Madam Chair.
I must admit to a certain level of frustration. Terms like “equality” and “equity” are bandied about, and there doesn't seem to be a real and clear understanding that equal pay for equal work is far different from equal pay for work of equal value.
I go back to the Bell example, because I worked for Bell while I was going to school. As a long-distance operator, I endured horrendous hours in terms of sometimes all night, certainly weekends. And it was known at that time that Bell operators were extremely well trained. The training was commensurate with craft, with the male workers at Bell. And yet the pay was far different.
When we start to look at the situation.... Regarding doctors, we had female doctors come to this committee to talk about non-traditional work and the fact that, because of the situation women face, their work was not valued in the same way as males'. It seems to me that's what it comes down to, the devaluing of women's work.
While I know that is entrenched, it seems to me there is an obligation to pull us out of the previous century, or even two centuries, and say that women do important jobs and they must be recognized for the skills they bring. And let's get rid of this market-driven thing, because that's driven down wages not just for women but also for men. It's a force that employers use over and over to drive down wages.
I want you to comment in terms of this devaluation of women's work and what we need to get into the 21st century.