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Mainstream Prudence and the part-time worker By Tony Carlson The plight of the part- time worker is suddenly . sexy. As more and more people take jobs that don't require a 40-hour work week, the concern grows that they're not be- ing treated fairly. Employers, the line goes, have had their way long enough, exploiting the eagerness of many people to have a job, any job. Part-time workers, the argument continues, are notoriously under- compensated, not only in terms of wages, but also as far as benefits go. Thus the groundswell for mandatory benefit ' packages gains strength. In Ontario, for instance, an arbitrator recently rul- ed that 8,000 part-time public servants should have access to the same benefits and job security as full-timers. That in- cludes life, medical, drug, dental and_ hospital insurance. Who can argue that such a move isn't in the best interest of part-time workers? Isn't this the kind of first victory that will accelerate the ad- vance of an_under- privileged sector of our labor force? Well, maybe. But as with anything, there are many sides to the story. Certainly in in- dividual cases, there is no doubt that some part- time workers could be treated more generously. But the bulk of evidence shows that if mandatory benefits were extended to the private sector, there would be less work and therefore less income for many part-timers. It's partly a case of what most part-timers themselves expect: More than 70 per cent choose not to work full time. Their lifestyles and in- come needs are best. met by the flexibility that short hours offer. But more, it's a ques- tion of what the market can bear. Small firms hire more than their share of part- time workers, often to match on-duty staff as closely as possible with the demands of the business which can vary dramatically from season to season, from week to week, even from hour to hour. Forcing these businesses to pay benefits on top of wages does two things. First, it adds a whole new layer of paper- work for an owner- manager who is already putting in backbreaking hours. (Paperburden is the second most impor- tant problem reported by the nation's small firms.) Second, it adds to the cost of employing a person. The upshot is that the small business operator may decide it's not worth it to have someone come in a few hours a week. Multiply that by the hun- dreds of thousands of small businesses ~ in Canada and the implica- tions of such a ruling become apparent. The effect is similar to that recorded by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business after Unemployment In- surance premiums, and therefore .the cost of employing people, skyrocketed two years ago. CFIB found that 7:4 per cent of respondents to a survey laid off people; 15 per cent postponed hiring; 3.5 per cent replaced workers with machinery. Clearly, no one is sug- gesting part-time workers should be kept in a wage/benefits ghetto. But the watchword must be prudence, for simplistic rulings are almost certain to cause more harm than good. ae: Porth DRYCLEANING SERVICES Terrace Bay-Schreiber News, Wednesday, September 25, 1985, page 3 Houston to run for Reeve William Houston has announced his intention to run for the office of Reeve. As a councillor for the past three years, Mr. Houston has _in- itiated or been closely in- volved in a number of projects that he wishes to see through to completion. One of the most im- portant issues is that of the development of the beach area, the river mouth as a marina, and the Aquasabon Falls and Gorge as a tourist attrac- tion. This undertaking should have a favourable impact on the tourist in- PHOTO PRINTS -- TERRACE BAY TRAVEL REST -- SCHREIBER Sleeping Bags & New Ticking 825-3776 Fabulous Fall Savings September 15 to September 29 2 piece Suits, Dresses, Raincoats Pillows Cleaned, Feathers Sanitized Reg. - $4.49 $5.80 - $5.49 $7.75 $5.49 $6.95 PHOTO PRINTS - Simcoe Plaza, Terrace Bay TRAVEL REST - Highway 17, Schreiber 824-2617 dustry and local private enterprise and it will be an asset to the local residents. Another important endeavour is that of Plan- ning: Mr. Houston feels that we need a precise five-year plan for capital replacement and for new purchases. This plan which would be well publicized and would be revised yearly, would allow for better budget planning and control which, in turn, should keep tax increases to a minimum. Mr. Houston also feels that Terrace Bay, because of air traffic to and from the U.S. and because of an anticipated increase in water traffic, is in need of a resident Customs and Immigration Officer. continued on page 9 Progressive Lake Nipigon Riding SPECIAL MEETING Delegate selection for Toronto Convention (November 15 to 16/85) DATE: September 29/85 TIME: 2 p.m. sharp PLACE: Schreiber, Ontario Meeting Room, Recreation Centre Please note: Membership cards must have been purchased 14 days in ad- vance of this special meeting as per sec- tion 11 of the constitution. President: Norm Boon Secretary: Joe Figliomeni Conservatives HUNTING SEASON is Just Around the Corner and TERRACE BAY CHRYSLER a HUNTERS SPECIAL Full-size Pick-up for as low as $9300.00 or itcan be leased for $194.63 a eer So why borrow money when you can borrow a truck Call Ray Pichette or Len Webb at 825-9095 is having DODGE EXCLUSIVE CANADA'S BEST TRUCK WARRANTY SYR/80,000km PROTECTION 1. ENGINE AND POWERTRAIN 2. OUTER PANEL CORROSION PERFORATION SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS AT NO EXTRA COST Limited warranty excludes imports, fleets & leases. Deductible applies. Ask for details. Cc based on warranty at time of printing