National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women
PSAC statement
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Montréal Massacre, where 14 young women were killed at the École Polytechnique on December 6, 1989. On this National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, PSAC members across the country renew their commitment to eliminate all forms of violence against women.
Members participating in events
In Victoria, a permanent monument to commemorate this sad anniversary will be unveiled, thanks to the efforts of the Victoria Regional Women’s Committee activists.
In the Prairies, members will be lining up 1200 pairs of shoes to honour the memory of missing and murdered Aboriginal women.
In Montréal and other citiesacross the country, members will be participating in candlelight vigils.
Violence against working women
A few days ago, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) released the shocking results of the first nation-wide survey on the impact of domestic violence on workers.
The survey, carried out between December 2013 and June 2014, asked 8,429 respondents if they’d experienced domestic violence. One third said yes. One tenth of those said it had happened in the last 12 months.
- 82% of those who’d experienced domestic violence said it negatively affected their performance at work. Almost 40% of those said the violence impacted their ability to get to work (being late, missing work); almost ten percent said they lost their jobs because of it.
- Half of those workers who experienced domestic violence faced some form of that violence at or near work. This can come in the form of harassing emails, calls and texts, but also stalking and physical violence.
PSAC’s commitment
December 6 is an occasion to remember young women who lost their lives to gender-based violence. It is also a time to commit to action. Unions are uniquely placed to make a real difference in the lives of workers who may be experiencing violence in the home.
We are committed to work with the CLC and other unions to find ways to better support workers who are affected by domestic violence and harassment. We will ensure that all employers provide workplaces that are effectively safe and secure for all working women.
We will also keep working with women’s groups to demand a national inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women, as well as a national action plan on violence against women.