As the Canadian workplace confronts the “great resignation,” “quiet-quitting” and labour shortages in general, the question of what employers can do to attract and retain workers has become ubiquitous. While wages and benefits loom large in workers decisions on whether to stay put or move on, the amount of power (or lack thereof) workers have within their respective workplace must also been seen as a contributing factor in workers’ employment decisions.
Employment and labour
Previously published in the Winnipeg Free Press Sept 1, 2022
September marks the end of summer, the return to school and Labour Day, an opportune time to step back and reflect upon the world of work, and the well-being of all workers.
Labour-force issues are never static, but the past three years have been unprecedented in terms of what workers have faced. The coronavirus pandemic saw public-health concerns drive the shutdown of major sections of the economy, here in Canada and globally. Millions of Canadian workers were forced out of their jobs.
The 2022 living wage update comes alongside the fastest increases to the cost of living seen since the early 1980s. These increases are placing financial pressure on low-wage workers, amplifying calls for the adoption of a living wage in Manitoba.
August 18, 2022
Corporate profits capturing more of economic recovery compared to any recession in last half century
OTTAWA—Inflation is holding back a worker-led pandemic economic recovery, but corporate profits have captured more in this recovery than after any previous recession, according to new analysis by Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) Senior Economist David Macdonald.
Macdonald examined how corporations and workers fared following the six recessions over the past 50 years and discovered corporate profits went up by an unprecedented 2.8 points of GDP amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
This spring, Global Affairs Canada sought advice on the development of a reciprocal procurement policy that would “reduce access to Canadian federal procurement opportunities for foreign suppliers, goods, and services from countries that do not provide a comparable level of access to Canadian suppliers.” The department frames the policy as a means of ensuring fairness and mutual benefit in Canada’s international trade relationships.
This Labour Market Update looks at the experiences of female workers over the last two years, from 2019 to 2021. The analysis reveals that Canada’s economic recovery has proven to be as unequal as the initial downturn. It draws on the annual and monthly Labour Force Survey and other related sources of information, highlighting differences between women and men as well as between different groups of women.
OTTAWA—Women’s wages are not keeping pace with surging inflation overall, according to one key finding from a new report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).
Using cost-of-living data unique to both cities, such as rental prices, childcare costs, and transportation fees, we calculate that a family of four would require a living wage of $16.23 per hour for Regina and $16.89 per hour for Saskatoon in order to maintain a decent standard of living in each respective city. The living wage reflects what people need to support their families based on the actual costs of living in a specific community.
REGINA - The Saskatchewan Office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives calculates that a family of four would require a living wage of $16.23 per hour for Regina and $16.89 per hour for Saskatoon in order to maintain a decent standard of living in each respective city. The living wage reflects what people need to support their families based on the actual costs of living in a specific community.