Alberta in big debt trouble

[Gone_Fishin]

I have to wonder what effect Notley's Bill 6, unionization of farms act, will have on the taxable profits of the farming sector. Undoubtedly, costs are going to skyrocket for farmers, and that means less taxable income and less tax revenue for the province. Notley's NDP sure cut of their nose to spite their face just to prop up their friends at the big labour unions.

[fluffy]

I have to wonder what effect Notley's Bill 6, unionization of farms act, will have on the taxable profits of the farming sector. Undoubtedly, costs are going to skyrocket for farmers, and that means less taxable income and less tax revenue for the province. Notley's NDP sure cut of their nose to spite their face just to prop up their friends at the big labour unions.

It's called the "Farm Safety Act", and it requires employers in the agricultural sector to carry Workers' Compensation coverage for their employees. You are against this?

[Gone_Fishin]

It's called the "Farm Safety Act", and it requires employers in the agricultural sector to carry Workers' Compensation coverage for their employees. You are against this?

That's a thin veil for the unionization of farms. "How can one argue with safety?" has been flaunted by the NDP in trying to sell the wholesale unionization of farms in the province. One need only look on the unions' websites where they are cheering that at last, they can make inroads into certifying farms. I stand by the vast majority of Alberta's farmers who are dead against the NDP's favour to their union supporters.

[fluffy]

Well maybe the time to oppose unionization of farm labour would be when someone actually proposes the unionization of farm labour. Workers' Comp coverage ensures that agricultural operations maintain some minimum level of worker safety and not let employers put safe equipment and practices aside because they haven't had a brand new pickup in two years.

[hobbyguy]

Anti-union sentiment knows no logic. Flawed as unions may be, they are the ONLY effective voice for the common person in the labour markets.

When you can can come up with an alternative model to provide workers with appropriate bargaining power in the labour markets, please let us know.

And by the way, good management has no fear of unions. It is only bad management and the "all for me, none for you" crowd that fear unions. As countries like Germany have shown, you can work with unions to create teamwork that benefits all.

That said, WCB coverage for farm workers only makes sense. Overwhelmingly, good management recognizes that WCB coverage is a good thing, and worker safety adds to profitability in the long run.

If anything, WCB coverage for farm workers will promote better management of farms and through that higher productivity. I fail to see how that will negatively affect the Alberta situation.

[The Green Barbarian]

Anti-union sentiment knows no logic. .

and pro-union sentiment also knows no logic.

[hobbyguy]

GB - so you have a better model?

I come at the situation with decades of management in both union and non-union situations. Have not seen a better one in terms of giving workers a reasonable voice in the labour markets. I never had a serious problem with unions, negotiations, firing dud employees etc. I do know cruddy managers who did.

[The Green Barbarian]

GB - so you have a better model?
.

Definitely for education. The union industrial model does not work in public education. It allows scumbag unions to use the suffering of children as a negotiating tool, and that's just morally wrong. Manitoba has a Teachers Society and they do not have the right to strike. That model at least protects the kids, and their parents, from being held hostage by a scumbag union.

[hobbyguy]

Actually, it boils down to the quality of management.

And that discussion has zero to do with the Alberta situation, other than the fact that Alberta caving to teachers high wage demands from teachers (and for political expediency) has caused problems for many other jurisdictions.

Bad management by the Alberta PC governments.

[fluffy]

Up unitl the recent passing of Bill 6, Alberta was the only province in Canada without similar legislation. The furor that erupted among farmers was a direct result of a deliberate campaign by the Wildrose Party so sow fear and uncertainty over the bill, their motivation being strictly political and without any interest in the safety and well-being of farm labour.

[The Green Barbarian]

Actually, it boils down to the quality of management.

And that discussion has zero to do with the Alberta situation, other than the fact that Alberta caving to teachers high wage demands from teachers (and for political expediency) has caused problems for many other jurisdictions.

Bad management by the Alberta PC governments.

we can definitely agree on this one. Every time I saw a BCTF member sitting in their lawn chair on their I-Phone, "on strike" with a big sign crying about how underpaid they were compared to Alberta I would yell "why don't you move there then?" Alberta really screwed the pooch on that one. And now Notley is screwing an even bigger pooch, handing out giant raises and rapidly expanding the Alberta civil service. Exactly the wrong thing to do, but the only thing the NDP knows how to do.

[hobbyguy]

Yes the Alberta PC mismanaged that situation, and many, many others. Which is why Alberta is in the jam it is now. There always would have been a "jam" with oil prices dropping regardless of who is in government at the time. However, the Alberta PC did absolutely nothing to prepare for such an eventuality, even though there were forecasts from reputable sources saying that 2016 would see a collapse in petroleum related investment in 2016 +/-.

[hobbyguy]

https://albertaviews.ab.ca/2015/12/22/the-civil-service/

This article details exactly what I speak about when I speak of bad management.

And just as an adder to that and the the issue of wage demands, I would comment that when you reduce people to just doing the job for the paycheck, they only care about that, and their demands reflect that. Peoples motivation and emotions/feelings are very important in contract negotiations.

[hobbyguy]

I forgot to mention this, the NDP and Notley are NOT handing out big raises, in fact they froze Civil Service salaries for two years...

[I Think]

Of course the root of the Alberta financial problems lies in the Harper choice of choosing global warming policies and forcing Alberta to rely on dirty oil extraction methods.

And if you think this is topic drift (which it is not) go look at this Castanet thread
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=66138#p1980546