UPDATED March 03, 2004

-On March 03, 2004, the Fed released a press release on International Women's Day. The press release appeared in the Saturday, March 6, 2004 edition of the Guardian.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY - MARCH 8TH

Charlottetown, PE....International Women's Day is a day to celebrate the achievements of women as well as a time to fight for greater equality. The P.E.I. Federation of Labour joins with other groups and voices on the issue of women's access to unemployment insurance and parental benefits.

The change from UI to EI "has had a profoundly negative impact on insurance protection for women of all ages" states the second CLC study on UI coverage released in March 2003. The gender gap between men and women doubled between 1994 and 2001 with only 33 % of unemployed women able to access employment insurance. The largest gap is for women aged 25 to 44 years of age. On P.E.I., 11% fewer unemployed women are able to collect unemployment insurance compared to men.

This has also meant that many women are ineligible for parental benefits. This is very unfair and it means that women who cannot afford to live on low benefits do not have the opportunities of other women. As stated by the Women's Network study "The most vulnerable and marginalized women" are least likely to be eligible for benefits including teenaged new mothers, immigrant women, low income women, single mothers, visible minority women, Aboriginal Women and women with disabilities.

Women working full-time also earn 73% of what men employed full time made in 1997. This means that many women cannot afford to remain on low benefits for a longer period of time. Also, many women need to return to seasonal work when it is available as they do not have long term job security. Women and their families should not be penalized for child bearing and raising children by how they are discriminated against in the workplace.

The chair of the P.E.I. Federation of Labour Women's Committee invites all women to take part in International Women's Day activities on P.E.I. She also stated "The P.E.I. Federation of Labour adds its voice to those that want to improve the Employment Insurance System so it benefits those unemployed, particularly women who need to access parental benefits." Carl Pursey, President of the P.E.I. Federation of Labour states " that Paul Martin has taken billions from the EI Fund which have helped fund billions of dollars of tax breaks to the rich. We ask him to return the money to working women in Canada who want access to employment insurance and parental benefits."

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