Not quite "I told you so"
Obama is now talking about having a discussion with the Taliban, what kept you buddy? Taliban Jack has been saying we should talk to these guys for over three years now and all he got was the nickname and abuse. Funny old world isn't it.
Another two needless deaths out west. Two skiers, who ignored both signs and yellow tape have killed themselves and injured a couple of others, pity! But how do we as a society approach the problem of public recklessness? Not very well apparently because it is still a problem. We know better in Cobourg though, we have stamped out that kind of foolishness. We have banned ice fishing in the harbour.
GM and the CAW have come to an agreement about what the workers will have to take out of their CBA. Pensions raises frozen, extra days off lost, and a cost of living increase. killed Not much impact on the pockets of the workers but a huge concession to the Company. Now let's stop the bleating about labour costs being too high.
An interesting article here about solar power operations in the Nevada desert. But with the news that a Company is coming to the east of town to setup a solar farm one should read it. The really fascinating point is tucked away in the middle where it is explained in a large solar-voltaic plant (I believe that that is what is proposed for here) there is only ONE fulltime employee hired to operate the plant.
Another two needless deaths out west. Two skiers, who ignored both signs and yellow tape have killed themselves and injured a couple of others, pity! But how do we as a society approach the problem of public recklessness? Not very well apparently because it is still a problem. We know better in Cobourg though, we have stamped out that kind of foolishness. We have banned ice fishing in the harbour.
GM and the CAW have come to an agreement about what the workers will have to take out of their CBA. Pensions raises frozen, extra days off lost, and a cost of living increase. killed Not much impact on the pockets of the workers but a huge concession to the Company. Now let's stop the bleating about labour costs being too high.
An interesting article here about solar power operations in the Nevada desert. But with the news that a Company is coming to the east of town to setup a solar farm one should read it. The really fascinating point is tucked away in the middle where it is explained in a large solar-voltaic plant (I believe that that is what is proposed for here) there is only ONE fulltime employee hired to operate the plant.
2 comments:
One advantage of solar power is the lack of moving parts which contributes to longevity of the cells. The less employees the less overhead costs the cheaper the power which attracts enterprise.
Greg Hancock wrote:
1. General Motors.
It is true that the CAW have come to an agreement, but they do not appear to have made many concessions. I read that the average hourly labour costs are currently $70, but by paying their own health premiums and giving up some days off these costs will go down to $63, savings of $7 per hour.
It is not clear how much of this $63 actually goes to the GM workers, but the minimum wage is still only about $10 per hour, and the average industrial wage is probably only $20. Why should workers at GM therefore get 3 times the average industrial wage. I can understand that it is what they bargained for, and got, but that was when GM was a going concern. GM is no longer a going concern and will only survive through massive taxpayer subsidies. In that case why should tax payers agree to subsidize GM workers at three time the going rate?
If GM ever becomes self supporting again they could then renegotiate wage rates.
2. Discontinuance of Employment Insurance.
Your blog wondered what will happen when EI runs out. Will the welfare budget cope? At the present time this is a valid question, but not one that has a happy answer. Clearly the EI welfare relationship is inadequate and does not meet current needs.
EI is already based on worker contributions, but unfortunately many workers do not even qualify. What I would suggest is to have a scheme whereby workers contribute a portion of their wages, and get automatic access if they become unemployed. It would work rather like an RRSP, except that it would be mandatory. Worker's would pay up to 10% of their wages to this fund, and would receive a tax credit ( just as happens for EI, CPP and RRSPs and other pension contributions). If and when they became unemployed they could draw on the fund, up to the amount of their contributions, plus any accumulated interest. The payments would not be subject to any value judgments about why they quit work, and would continue until they got new work, or until their personal fund ran out. If they retired and still had funds left they could be taken out in a lump or added to their pension. In essence this would be an unemployment fund paid for by workers, without value judgments, and fully available to them in times of need.
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