| Labour report card
The Canadian Labour Congress’s annual report card on the state of the Canadian workplace has found that overall conditions for workers improved slightly over last year. But not if you’re a young or low-income worker.
The congress released its findings on Labour Day. The report looked at the first half of 2004 compared to the first half of 2003. It found that the unemployment rate was the lowest since 2000 and that real wages, which are adjusted to factor in the change in cost of living, increased by 1.4 per cent over last year.
However, the report also found that the situation isn’t as rosy for people under the age of 25. Fourteen per cent of Canadians under 25 were unemployed and 27 per cent were afraid of losing their jobs in the first half of 2004.
Meanwhile, the report states that 24 per cent of Canadians, and 31 per cent of women, could only find work in the form of temporary paid jobs, part-time jobs or through self-employment. And 10.6 per cent of Canadians, and 15.6 per cent of women, over the age of 25 earned poverty-level wages for full-time work (defined as less than $9.65 an hour).
The report was also critical of the fact that only 38 per cent of unemployed workers are currently receiving Employment Insurance Assistance.
"The EI system continues to fail most Canadians who lose their jobs, particularly women and young people," states the report.
New wetland video
Alberta schoolchildren will get a chance to learn about local wetlands with a new documentary called Wetlands Wonderlands.
The 14-minute documentary, produced by members of the Parks Foundation Calgary’s Wetlands Committee, educates students about the challenge of wetland conservation in a rapidly expanding urban centre. All the footage was shot in and around Calgary.
For more information about the video, call Tracy Tarves of the Parks Foundation Calgary at 974-0756.
Booi and Swann running in election
A couple of high-profile Albertans have announced their candidacy for the Alberta Liberals and New Democrats in the upcoming election, expected to be held in November.
Former Alberta Teachers’ Association president Larry Booi has announced he’s running for the New Democratic Party in the riding of Edmonton-Glenora.Meanwhile, activist and doctor David Swann will be running for the Liberal Party in Calgary Mountain View. Swann, the former chief medical officer of health for the Palliser Health Region, was fired after publicly stating his support for the Kyoto Accord.
World Peace Concert
A concert to promote world peace will be held at the Centre For Positive Living on Saturday, September 11 to raise money for Amnesty International.The concert will feature a variety of performers, including whirling dervishes, harpists and Scottish pipe players.
"We need to do concerts like this to promote world peace instead of violence," says organizer Mike Wolf. For more information, call 270-0314. |
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