Rising Up for women’s economic justice
This International Women’s Day, Canada’s 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.
“Gender equality is not a side issue; it is central to Canada’s economic security. A resilient care economy, strong public services, and decent union jobs are strategic assets that strengthen communities and industries alike,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. “Workers want politicians who will stand up for them. The Carney government 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.
Unfortunately, this government’s response to the trade war has largely focused on tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and corporate handouts. As we know, siding with big corporations will only deepen gender inequities and economic disparities.
“No trade deal is better than a bad deal, especially one that fails to centre workers, jobs, communities and Canadian industries,” said Bruske. “Investments in women’s economic justice are critical to strengthening Canada’s economic security.”
This means concrete action: enforcing pay equity, eliminating gender-based violence in the world of work, and making sustained investments in Canada’s 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 Canada’s economy,” said Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice President of the CLC. “Through our unions, at the bargaining table and in government, we’re pushing for stronger protections and better policies to make our voices heard.”
For decades, unionized women have led the push to make gender justice a core labour priority by fighting for pharmacare, affordable child care, pay equity, gun control, expanded parental leave, and paid domestic violence leave.
“When we rise up together, we make real change. Women won’t accept the status quo. We’re fighting for a more feminist and equitable future for our workplaces, communities, and our economy,” adds Vipond.
This IWD, union women and gender diverse workers are Rising Up from coast to coast to coast, and demanding leadership from our federal government on the issues that matter to workers and their families:
- Fighting back on indiscriminate tariffs that put Canadian jobs and communities at risk.
- Implementing the National Action Plan on Gender Based Violence, including the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work.
- Ending the workforce crisis in the care economy by ensuring the new Care Economy Workforce Alliance delivers concrete improvements to wages and working conditions across care sectors, as well as recommendations to meaningfully invest in both paid and unpaid care sectors.