Unions Rising Up for Women’s Economic Justice

This International Women’s Day, unions are Rising Up to demand a worker-centred economic strategy that puts women’s economic justice at its core. It’s time for action on the real economic challenges impacting workers and their families from coast to coast to coast.

“Women are already doing their part. Day in and day out they make incredible contributions to the social and economic prosperity in Canada,” says Christine Hawkes, Vice-President responsible for Women’s Equality with the New Brunswick Federation of Labour. “It’s time for governments to step up and do their part.The Carney and Holt governments needs to fight for workers, not side with big business.”

Right now, working women are being squeezed from every direction. Food prices are up, rent and mortgages are rising, child care spaces are still hard to come by in many communities, and public health care is strained. In 2025, 40% of women reported it was difficult or very difficult to meet financial needs.

The impacts of the affordability crisis are especially severe for Indigenous, Black, racialized, newcomer, young, 2SLGBTQI+ women, and women with disabilities. These workers are overrepresented in low-wage, precarious, and care-sector jobs, the very sectors most vulnerable to cuts, privatization, and underfunding. But when governments tighten budgets, it is women who absorb the impact: through unpaid care, reduced hours, lost services, and increased exposure to violence.

Economic downturns do not affect everyone equally: research shows that periods of instability are linked to increases in domestic and gender-based violence. When wages stagnate and services are cut, women and gender diverse people’s safety and independence are put at risk.

Governments need to focus on concrete action: enforcing pay equity, eliminating gender-based violence in the world of work, and making sustained investments in the care economy at the scale to meet the moment and end the workforce crisis.

“Women and gender diverse workers are leading the fight for gender justice at work and decent, safe jobs in every sector of the economy,” says Chris Watson, President of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour. “Through our unions, at the bargaining table and in government, we’re pushing for stronger protections and better policies to make our voices heard.”

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For information, please contact:
Chris Watson
President, NBFL
(506) 381-8969

Christine Hawkes
Vice President responsible for Women’s Issues
(506) 639-5213