Created 25 June 2006 18:06

The organization representing BC’s public university professors announced today that it will lead the campaign to end mandatory retirement in British Columbia.

“There is no good reason to continue to deny older British Columbians the ability to choose to work if they want to,” said Chris Petter, President-Elect of the Confederation of the University Faculty Associations of BC (CUFA/BC).  “The decision to retire from the working world should be made by the individual based on their needs, desires and abilities and not on an arbitrary age. Sixty-five is just an age, it’s not an expiry date.”

Currently, workers aged 65 and older are not protected from employment discrimination under BC’s Human Rights Code.  This allows employers to force employees to leave their jobs once they reach age 65, or otherwise discriminate against them in rates of pay and benefits.

Full details of the campaign are available at http://www.abilitynotage.ca