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Keeping it simple

I was reading through our weekly Calendar and came across a help wanted ad placed by the District of Lake Country, “Gardener, March 1 to November 30.”

I was reading through our weekly Calendar and came across a help wanted ad placed by the District of Lake Country, “Gardener, March 1 to November 30.”

The job description reads: wage reimbursement step one, $21.79 per hour. Moving on…step five, $25.94 per hour. I’d hate to see steps six, seven, eight, nine.

On top of this wage package the lucky person receives 16.4 per cent “in lieu of benefit.” This is crazy!

No one pays for other peoples benefits as far as I know. Now as taxpayers, who pay this wage, we’re paying presumably for someone’s dentist, medical, eye care, extended health, holidays, pension, etc.

I don’t know anyone who helps us taxpayers pay for our benefits. As a result we pay for our own benefits and then contribute to a District worker for his or her benefits…as if they cant afford them.

The job calls for nine months per year and then three months vacation (Dec. 1 to March 1). The total package costs $861 per week and $143 weekly in lieu of benefits. At step five it goes up to $1,038 per week and $170 in lieu of benefits.

It’s just so easy to fork out other peoples money. As long as it doesn’t come out of your own pocket everything moves along without any one speaking up.

For that amount of wage you could employ two people if not three. As you might know we do have an unemployment problem in this country. It’s been on the news.

The position of employment is not the issue. People give up time in exchange for wages. What makes one person worth more than another? What makes someone better than someone else? The classic line is “you get better people the more money you pay.”

That’s garbage! There is always someone as good as or better than the predecessor. People take on a job for all kinds of reasons, but mostly because they have a passion for the job. If they don’t they will search for that job that fits them. It’s not just about money.

About a year ago the same wages were on the table for a desk assistant for our local RCMP. I phoned and asked what would justify these wages. The answer, and I quote “Do you know what kind of phone calls we receive.”

As if they’re the only people that answer a phone call and try to rectify it? Apparently that’s worth $50,000 a year (in lieu of benefits).

In this day and age I consider having a job a benefit. Be happy and thrilled you have a job that you love to do for society…keep it simple.

Mike McGowan