Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Keep Those Wages Down



When all the rhetoric has cooled, Tom Walkom writes in today's Toronto Star,  it should be clear that the Chinese government and the Harper government share the same objective:

The real problem with China’s Communists is not that they’re unusually wily but that, like the Harper Conservatives, they want to keep workers’ wages down.

If Ottawa were truly worried about the effect of Chinese investment on the lives of real people, it never would have allowed one Chinese-controlled firm to import 200 low-wage “temporary” coal miners into B.C. instead of employing Canadians.

The joint effort to keep wages low is shared by several governments. Yesterday's passage of right to work legislation in Michigan is an attempt to do the same thing. And Tim Hudak's proposed "Path to Prosperity" for Ontario is more of the same. Today's editorial in The Star makes the point that Hudak seeks to turn private sector workers against unionized workers:

If he wants to be the heroic debt slayer, Hudak needs to drop the divisive tactics, such as his attempt to foster anger among private sector workers against their neighbours in the public service. Nowhere in his plan does Hudak explain how the economy will be better off when thousands of middle-class employees get laid off, stop spending money in stores or paying for their kids’ university education. 

Both Mr. Harper and Mr. Hudak hold master's degrees in economics. And the only thing both men appear to have learned  from a so called "higher education" is that, at all costs, workers wages must be kept down.


8 comments:

The Mound of Sound said...

Now the British Columbia Construction Association is endorsing guest labour, claiming it's the only way to get things done.

Any idea what time the revolution starts?

Owen Gray said...

Perhaps in the New Year, Mound. It's been a long time coming.

Lorne said...

I have a feeling, Owen, and I also ardently hope that, until young Tim is replaced by an adult who has something more in his/her policy arsenal than right-wing platitudes, Ontario's Progressive Conservative Party will remain only an opposition party.

Owen Gray said...

I share your hope, Lorne. Still, I worry that a majority of Ontarians might think that Tim has the "right" ideas.

Anonymous said...

This is why Harper loves China's Human Rights...because, they don't have any. Child laborers in China, only earn pennies a day. Chinese looking for a job in an apple factory....must sign a statement, they will not commit suicide. Harper fully supports Communist China. He is making Canada into, China's same image.

I saw a program on a Chinese family. The parents had to leave their children with a grandmother, while they went to a city to earn money. They were destitute and had to be able to feed, clothe and educate their children. The parents found work in a garment factory. Working conditions were absolutely horrible. They had a tiny cubbyhole to sleep in. Our pets have, much better accomodations to live in. Those parents had been living like that for years. They very seldom saw their children.

To go home for the Chinese New Year. They waited in line for 5 days, to wait for a train to take them home. At times, with frequent breakdowns and delays, they had to live on a train, for over a week.

That's how Communist country's are. China wallows in wealth, and they exploit their people. North Korea is no different. Most corrupt third world country's, are the same. North Korea has the same attitude, towards their people.

Canada will become, one of those uncivilized country's. Harper is also a monster dictator and no different than those other country's leaders are. He has given Canada to a Communist country, for his own gain and lust for power, and to hell with the people.

Harper desperately want's that, same huge cheap labor pool China has. Harper has Canada, just as corrupt as Communist China and North Korea. The Honduras, the Congo and such other country's, Harper really envies them too. Harper has given all of those country's, his full support. Harper very, very badly, wants all of that power and glory. The KING of corruption, as his new title.

Harper has no ethics nor morals, what-so-ever.

Owen Gray said...

Mr. Harper is looking after the elites, Anon. The same thing is going on in lots of other countries.

bcwaterboy said...

Hudak may actually surpass Christy Clark for sheer idiocy. Hopefully Ontario voters steer clear of this "free enterprise" guy.

Owen Gray said...

Ontarians have been down this road before, waterboy, under Mike Harris. One hopes their memories go back that far.