Manitoba women have been found to make $0.71 for every dollar a man makes, resulting in it taking them until April 4, 2024 to earn the same income as their male counterparts did the previous year. The wage gap is even worse for racialized women, with Indigenous women earning $0.58 on the dollar compared to white men, and women of color earning $0.59 on the dollar. These numbers have remained relatively unchanged over the past 30 years, leading to negative impacts on gender equality in Manitoba. High rates of poverty among women and lower rates of female participation in the labor force are highlighted as significant issues, with child poverty often affecting single-parent households headed by women.
The wage gap is exacerbated by the fact that 60 percent of minimum-wage workers are women, and the current minimum wage is considered a poverty wage. Molly McCracken, Manitoba Director of the CCPA, stresses the importance of addressing the pay gap through measures such as creating more child-care spaces, raising the minimum wage to a living wage, and expanding education and training opportunities for women to advance their education. Additionally, measures to prevent discrimination, harassment, and violence in the workplace are deemed necessary. McCracken notes that while Manitoba was a leader in introducing pay equity legislation in the 1980s, it only covers the public sector and has fallen behind other provinces in terms of legislative action on this issue.
A Probe Research poll indicates that 78 percent of Manitobans agree that tougher pay equity laws are needed to ensure women are paid the same as men for work of equal value. The minister responsible for gender equity, Nahanni Fontaine, mentions previous efforts to introduce a pay transparency act and initiatives to increase affordable daycare. Fontaine reaffirms the government’s commitment to achieving equal pay for women and states that legislative action may be taken in the near future following jurisdictional scans and consultations with stakeholders. The government’s focus on addressing pay equity issues is seen as a priority in Manitoba as they work towards ensuring gender equality in the workforce.
Overall, the wage gap in Manitoba remains a significant issue, with women facing obstacles in achieving equal pay for equal work. Efforts to address this disparity include creating more child-care spaces, raising the minimum wage, expanding education and training opportunities, and implementing measures to prevent workplace discrimination and violence. Public opinion in Manitoba supports the need for tougher pay equity laws, and the government is taking steps towards legislative action to address these issues. The goal is to improve gender equality in the workplace and ensure that women are fairly compensated for their contributions.
