The work issue facing Sudburia

I have been here for over four years now and have had the opportunity to make some astute observations about the situation of work in this city. Let's start with a few key issues like ridicuolous wages, hours and accessability, qualifications and nepotism.

First off let's talk hours. I really don't care about what hours businesses choose to employ their workers, but they have to learn to understand that working two jobs in this town means taking a bus or usually two. Two buses means an hour between jobs. Learn to flex just slightly. Secondly, employers Need to figure this out: If a person isn't making at least Double in cabfare home in gratuities, it is Not worth their while to work for minimum wage in the middle of BF-Nowhere until the buses (to which we shall turn shortly) stop running.

Qualifications! Heads up, employers, these are the things you Pay for when shopping for a worker. A university degree does Not mean $9/hr and Especially Not Minimum wage. Bilingualism is a special qualification that is worth at least a couple dollars an hour in the rest of Canada, so it's time to catch up Sudbury! Gamoto!

Okay I will concede that a lot of roadwork is untrained brute labour, without qualifications beyond "can you bend and lift?" This however, does not mean that it goes unpaid. $8/hr? Kiss my pearly northern ass! In case you haven't figured this one outlabour isn't cheap until you're in Mexico. Or is Sudbury just a subdivision of Mexico?

Nepotism. Well I have little against Nepotism for one main reason. Every job that nepotism ever got me was simple enough that I could have trained Anyone to do it. These jobs aren't difficult in the training sense. Waitstaff at a diner? Not hard to understand, but I do give credit to someone who follows through for 10 hours a day. My only Real issue is more a whining complaint: Could the bars just hire a Guy once in a while. I just want to tend your bar. I Know that the Hot Girl is going to sell more in most places, but surely there is Somewhere that can give a guy a start. Actually, Not a Start! I have my start, just no progress

What it comes down to / This is what I see.

This town keeps losing populace, due in largest part to youth outmigration. The City keeps putting together action committees to see why and find out how to staunch the flow. Start with the sad ass work situation. This requires private industry to play ball, but if they don't they won't be able to tap the market.

Employers think they are Mighty Damned Special in this town I tell you. Partly because they have a complacent audience. Oh sure, your old man works in the mine, so you're just killin' time anyhow why Should you mind minimum wage. These people don't intend to leave the Suds. This provides a layer of insulation in a sense. Employers don't Have to offer more and people from outside cannot afford to live here unless they come on high level at work. People don't come in, but youth certainly leaves.

In all fairness, there Are several good places to work here, but they are in the minority. There are not Enough places to work overall, but so be it. That's a separate issue that needs in depth discussion too. Get with it, Sudbury! If you don't shape up I shall return in 30 years in a rented plane, flying over to watch the final cataclysm as the Earth opens wide and this town slides down its gaping maw, swallowed in one go.