PSAC Policy 27
The Public Service Alliance of Canada unequivocally supports the principles of human rights as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Human Rights Act.
The Alliance recognizes that there are members who have been and continue to be victimized by discrimination and that their problems, therefore, require special attention and measures, in order to be alleviated. The Alliance will not condone discriminatory actions taken on any ground including age, race, colour, sex, marital status, family status, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, language, political belief, union activity or criminal record.
The Alliance pledges to work toward the achievement of equality for all its members and to eliminate discrimination and increase the participation of disadvantaged groups in the workforce. We will institute the following measures to facilitate the achievement of these goals:
1. Promote human rights' issues through educational and sensitization measures aimed at our members and public awareness programs.
2. Support collective bargaining proposals for articles which further our human rights goals, including but not limited to protection against personal harassment; protection for workers who are or become disabled; child care; equal pay for work of equal value; joint and equal participation in union-management affirmative action programs; improvements to current "no discrimination" and "sexual harassment" articles.
3. Pressure the employer at all levels to end discriminatory practices, implement special measures to eliminate barriers to employment, and redress past and present systemic discrimination which has an adverse impact on our membership.
4. Continue to lobby for changes in legislation to achieve full bargaining rights in the public service and strengthen the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Employment Equity Act.
5. Participate with other groups with similar goals to improve benefits and conditions for disadvantaged people in Canada.
In support of this Policy, the Alliance has developed a series of background and implementation documents that are available from the Membership Services Branch.