Comment 29180

By Rusty (registered) - website | Posted February 27, 2009 at 15:31:19

I completely agree with the last post!

If the unions can safeguard good salaries for manufacturing jobs for so long without any significant impact on the product quality and profit margins of the employers, then the same can be done for retail jobs. No wonder the WalMarts of this world are so reluctant to allow the unions to take hold. They know that they have to locate close to the consumers, and they want to keep their margins high.

Ultimately the consumer has a choice in what businesses they support (although this of course can be hard when money is tight).

Improving working condictions across the board is the only way to stop the service sector/creative class sector gap from widening.

While we're on the 'new economy' thread here...something occurred to me recently listening to Obama's Presdential Oath speech. He mentioned something about helping out your neighbour by reducing your working hours. I think, in a time of economic difficulty, where jobs are scarce, that workers should have the option to reduce their hours and literally share their jobs. People can whine about a return to Rae days but I know when I was unemployed, after landing in Canada from the UK, I felt completely disconnected from the 'other' world of folks who worked and went to restaurants and paid their bills.

I'm sure there are many of us who work in middle and high income jobs who could scale back their work week a little. My current employer is promoting a shorter work week and unpaid time off. I'd like to see more job share initiatives taking place so we don't get a community of winners and losers.

Now where were we...Rosie DiManno? - Man, have we ever gone off topic...

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