News Release
December 3, 2009 For immediate release
Brad Wall's pet union calls for a cut in minimum wage
The "so-called" union that has been invited by Brad Wall and Rob Norris to open up shop in Saskatchewan has submitted a brief to the Saskatchewan Minimum Wage Board calling for a cut in the minimum wage for workers under the age of 21.
In a submission dated October 23, 2009, the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) made four (4) recommendations to the newly appointed Minimum Wage Board one of which urges the Board to recommend that minimum wage be "discounted by 10 percent for youth under the age of 21 years".
"Real unions don't call on governments to bring in changes that result in putting more people into poverty", said Larry Hubich, President of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL). "No union worth its salt would ever advocate that we should be setting up a provincial two-tier minimum wage regime that opens the door to unscrupulous employers exploiting, ripping off and impoverishing young workers."
The SFL points out that the Sask. Party government has already admitted that a motivating factor of them introducing the controversial Bill 80 was to open the door for CLAC to set up shop in Saskatchewan. And it is also more than a mere coincidence that some of the most supportive organizations and groups regarding Bill 80 are anti-union and non-union companies and individuals who like the idea of signing sweet-heart deals with company-friendly unions to block real unions from organizing their employees.
"This is all part of the Rob Norris and Brad Wall anti-union agenda. Strip away workers rights, destroy their ability to form legitimate unions, invite company-friendly unions to town, stack boards and commissions with anti-union appointments and cut wages," said Hubich.
The SFL represents more than 95,000 workers from 37 affiliated unions in Saskatchewan. Download SFL news release here.
8 comments:
As someone who was in that under 21 group not too long ago I have to say it dosnt sound all that bad. Ive been working part time since i was 14 (under the table i guess) and 'back in my day' i wasnt making much over 5$/h. I mean more money is always nice but theres no doubt the majority of 'older' people work harder than the younger ones. That being said people who employ the young ones have to stop abusing their lack of experience by not giving them raises and treating them like second rate employees.
Stephanie,
Thank you for participating in this blog.
If what you say is true, then you've just confirmed why a two-tier minimum wage is wrong headed and short-sighted. It appears from your comments that you have been getting ripped off by rotten employers since you were 14.
We don't need a lower minimum wage for young workers, we need a government that prosecutes crappy employers who break the law, and rip off young workers.
Thanks again for your post.
So, I really need to know what is Christian about their organization. What part of Christian beliefs do they follow?
What part of Christianity allows their demonic work ethics?
As a Christian, I want to know this.
As a Christian, I am offended and insulted they are using Christianity as a farce and a lie to mis-represent themselves.
I suppose their membership dues are a 10% tithe ?
Keep it real, "C"LAC, we can see right through ya, and it ain't Jesus at your helm. THAT'S obvious.
As I understand it after listening to CBC news yesterday afternoon, the Labour Minister said the government was NOT interested in having two minimum wages.
Myworld and Japagaijin,
Thank you both for your posts. As to the statement on CBC news by the Minister that the government is NOT interested in having two minimum wages, I guess we'll hold them to that commitment.
Having said that, what the Minister says, and what the Minister does, are often not the same. I personally have a hard time believing anything that comes out of his mouth.
And it all started with the first public appearance he made at a union function in early 2008. Here's the post from my blog reporting on that event:
Minister Denies Any External Consultation on Legislation Prior to Tabling of Bills
Disgusting that the CLAC would suggest that age is a legitimate reason to discriminate against workers.
Its usually the younger workers who are the most productive anyways in organizations, and they certainly have far greater expenses than the middle-aged worker that has a paid-off house, investment portfolio, and maybe a couple inheritances in the bank.
The right of centre Sask Party is not the left of centre, union loving NDP. A majority in this province voted for the SK Party, that tells me that the majority wants less union control, less union power and a slow down of the march for larger stronger unions that have to much power and try and control everything. Why is this such a surprise to the leftys, all we hear from the unions and the NDP sure sounds of sour grapes and incredulous disbelief that the SK Party may have policies they don't like. Maybe the unions need to start to realize that the "majority" in this province have had enough of the typical union dogma. Continuing to bemoan every little thing as an attack. I can tell you one thing I am tired of both sides fighting like children whenever there is a union fighting an employer or the current government on everything. And sadly for them all this crying and whining does nothing to promote the progress of the unions or the NDP specifically, thus further alianating themselves, come the next election which the NDP will surely lose and lose worse than the last election with the hopelessly pessimistic Link at the helm.
Like I said it wreaks of Sour grapes
Larry can you help me to understand the line of thinking that leads one to believe that taking spending power away from the people will do the economy any good.
It would seem that Saskatchewan's doing really well in this time of world economic crisis, why do we need to hurt the youth?
Do we need to remind Mr. Wall that with out us the lights will go out? It Really wouldn't take much for say, an angry electrician to such down the entire city of Swift Current's power grid. Just one Monkey wrench tossed in the right place could speak louder then any blog!
In Solidarity
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