Sweeten the pot to keep N.L. workers home: labour leaders
Delegates to a labour convention had simple advice to Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams for solving worsening recruitment problems: raise wages.
"Our labour is demanded worldwide, and if they want to keep it, they're going to have to pay for it," Bert Blundon told a convention of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour.
Blundon, a director of both the federation and the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees, said the best way for the province to curb the exodus of skilled and unskilled labour is to pay a better wage.
He said the issue is particularly felt in the home-care sector, where employees have long been identified as being underpaid.
"Who in their right mind would look at the home care profession as a viable job opportunity as it currently exists?" Blundon said.
"Considering we have a rapidly aging population, someone in authority has to take notice of this group of highly skilled employees before it is too late."
David Robertson, a director with the Canadian Auto Workers union, said that Newfoundland and Labrador's financial picture has changed significantly enough to afford better pay increases.
"We are no longer in an age of scarcity," he said.
"Budgets have shifted from deficits to surpluses. Newfoundland and Labrador is headed for a $500-million surplus, and I'm hearing that's probably on the conservative side."
Robertson said although governments have long argued they cannot afford to give wage increases, there is plenty of money in the economy now to spend on wages, social programs and economic development.
During the campaign leading to a landslide win in the Oct. 9 general election, Williams said he supported wage increases for public-sector workers. However, he declined to speculate on possible increases, saying those matters should be dealt with at the bargaining table.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses' Union has already asked government to re-open its collective agreement immediately, to address worsening shortages of nurses.