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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-10-07, Page 5191E HURON EXPOSITOR, OCTOBER 7, 191646 HBDC wonders if Huron's economy is creating class of working poor BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff To what extent is the local economy in Huron County creating a class of working poor? That's a key concern contained in an overview of economic progress here this decade, prepared for information purposes on Aug. 28 by the Huron Business . -Development Corporation Economic activity is expanding in Huron but job opportunities are shrinking. according to the overview. it was part of the information package. included for Seaforth Council's study at its last meeting. Other highlights. of the summary include: • Cost of living advantages do exist, but Huron County residents, in .general, are finding it harder to earn a living; • This region is attracting young families and early retirees, but continues to lose its youth population; • Agriculture remains paramount, but manufacturing is now the leading growth industry in Huron; • The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well and driving the local ecodlomy. Agriculture accounts for 67 per cent of enterprise by industrial sector with services next highest at 14 per cent, according to the graphs that accompany this report, but service industries accpunt tor 35 per cent of employment. Agriculture and trade each account for 18 per cent of erhployment in Huron. with manufacturing at 17 per cent. In five years. the percentage of the workforce here working out -of -county increased to about 24 per cent from 18 per cent, from 1991 to 1996. THE YOUNG LEAVE In the same period there was a net migration of about 700 people .1n the 18 to 24 age group, offset by about 600 people in the 45 to 64 age group migrating here.. The median family income increased both here and provincially in the same five years. as did the incidence of low income. The median family income in Huron County in 1996 was roughly $50,000 according to the chart. and about 10.5 per cent of families here that year had incomes described as "beim low income cut-off levels." Other key con questions listed in the-developmer Lion's study are: Hospital workers want job security, some government health care dollars To The Editor: On October 6. 50.00( hospital workers represented by CUPE and SEIU' staged information pickets at their local hospital. including CUPE workers from Seaforth have lost 71 per cent to Community Hospital. inflation. Over that same The purpose of these period. our workloads have pickets was to' demand a doubled. 'On the other hand. negotiated contract which scnipr managers increased would see wage increases their salaries by 12 per cent and protect job securit'. The on average Over the last three hospitalsiare asking for wage years, ..rollbacks and job scctiritw Hospitals arc also takeaways. ' demanding that once work. it Recently. the government contracted out to the private changed the arhitrationi sector. they would acquire ,process and.rcplacc'd non the right. to lay', off nor, biased arbitrators with !terminate union workers. government appointed ones That's fond. for thought as It's no secret that Mike today (Oct. 7► food services Harris has an -agenda that at SACH switch over th the would see the demise of all bulkretherined'method of organized tabor. Hospital reheating trucked in meals. workers have been withpnti1 a Hospitals are'also demanding current • contract since that premiums employees. September 1995. It's tithe the pay towards dental plans. OHA sat down with us tit the bargaining table sci together we. can negotiate • a long overdue coilccttvc contract.' Since 1995. when the contract expired. to today. union workers in hospitals Letters per cent and 1 per cern wage , increase. Hospitals now want to take that away. Hospitals also want to sec an 18 per cent wage rollback for tulltime employees as well as 18 per cern benefit cuts and cuts to the percentage in lieu of benefits part-time employees receive: it's time some of the dollars .Mike -Harris says he is pouring hack into health care trickled down to the front line workers. Unions deserve a coptract that would see a wage increase at (east equal to the inflation rate as well as reaffirmink our strong, job Security language. The Hospital Restructuring Commission recommends that 80 per cent of all support. service and clerical work he contracted out. We can't!' afford to sere that happen. We need t,o. sec a fontract term that gets us .extended health plans. semi- through the hospital private hospital coverage. restructuring - from increase by. 55 per tent. 'September 1995 to March Under the social contract. 2000.. L16"O employees (those • Val Poisson making less than1 . President, 530.000/veari were given a 1 • CUPE Local 2702 pivide up your dollar any way you wish • CONTJ,NUED farqm Page 4. Next week I'm going to better. Advertising? No, if ,vkrtather'ttritig.' i'rrhfick' statt'ftty own husiness,iand I you rpn the story and picture. and tired -'of mis�ptll•e'd 'wtnita'news item'iiliodfit. I wont need any advertisiii'g. words in your paper.. For a ' A picture would he even dollar. you to ought to do` better.- Bayfield gets $9 -million sewer grant When 1 meet you on the • Bayfield will he provided contaminating private wells street. I expect you to tell me with s9t210.528 by 'the and polluting local beaches. all the inside dope. I expect provincial government so the Huron MPP Helen Johns said. t+ou to serve as publicity near by village can build a when making the chairman for .everyone 'nevi sewage collection and announcement last Tuesday. committee in town too. If 1 treatment system. call the paper and ask you "The protect. with financial Approval given how many kids Al. Capone assistance from the provincial had or what round Dempsey) knocked out Tunny (or was it the other way?) 1 expect you to know and to tell mc. Right then. ' The Seaforth Firefighters water protection fund. i.' Association has received intended to •rectify problems approval to hold the 2000 with malfunctioning septic Convention for the (Ontario i systems. that have been Firefighters Association: Find Your SEAFORTH • CLINTON • MITCHELL PHONE BOOK this weekend. The 1998-1999 PHONE BOOK will be distributed Saturday, October 10th In the Focus Week -ender bag. If we inadvertently missed you, drop by our office and pick up your copy of the new Phone Book. Need more than one? On Sale for 82.00 a copy 527-0240 100 Main St., Seaforth • Why is the agricultural sector not evolving into higher -end service and processing industries? • How can Huron's independent retailers gain back their lost market share? • Where will our new entrepreneurs come from, for instance, re we exporting or importing them? • How sustainable is economic growth based solely on new business start-ups? • What will it take to help Huron's small businesses to expand and create jobs? The report is the first step in the HBDC's strategic planning process of reviewing changes in the localeconomy and the organization's impact on job creation activities since its inception in 1993. deputy - clerk Cathy Garrick reported to Seaforth Council. Student at medical clinic for month BY SCOTT HILGENDORFF Expositor Editor Elaine Gilfoyle is. getting a chance to pull . together everything she's learned at medical school in the Seaforth Medical Clinic. She`s Dr. Ken Rodney's newest medical student. spending a month at the clinic as .part of her program at Western in London. This is her final rotation. experiencing family. medicine hands-on. Rotations throughout the • medical program focus on different aspects of practicing medicine hut Gilfoyle said through family Medicine, there is a wide variety of problems rot he treated that test everything she's learned §o far. "I sec patients on my own , and, then go over it with Dr. • Rodney." she said Member resigns Kathy •Ferguson has resigned from Sciaforth's local architectural conservation advi'so • committee (LACAC ). She is moving from .Seaforth in October. minutes of the committee's Sept. 14 meeting note. Enhanced dollars Huron MPP Helen Johns announced an enhanced transportation grant for the Avon Maitland District School Board on Monday'. It is an estimated $293.41.3 more than the originally announced amount. Elaine Gilfoyle She. has found Dr. Rodney gives her a solid chance to test her abilities by suggesting how the patient should he treated. She said maty times. Dr. 'Rodney has followed her lead which, has assured her she is using what she's learned well. CENTENAIRES JR. OIVSLOtwltfr Hocken CLAR Lambeth at CENTENAIRES Fri., Oct. 9th 8:30 p.m. Visit the: BLUE LINE CLUB UPSTAIRS ",l like the fact in a small town you get to secsa lot of things," she said. in the cities. patients tend to sec their doctors for check .ups hut if they arc sick. they go to emergency. GilJoyle said in the .city. a family medicine rotation wouldn't have shown her as many things. as she's .seen 1.n Seaforth. ' She's hada chance to treat • patients with everything from bowel, bleeding to an infection that developed after '. a woman gave birth. . "Everyone. here's rcallS nice and. make me feel like part of .the team." she said. adding she's never felt like she. was just a medical. student during her time at the clinic. ' Gilfoylc will he working' with Dr. Rodney until Oct 16. OMALCOLM� StrtUNCE &IOItfRSSURANCE BROKERS Allan Carter, Broker • Home • Auto ' • Commercial • Farm 522-0399 Seaforth 1-800-265-0959 Strathrov There's No Better Time for the Best Now you can get trusted New Holland performance... at exceptional savings as low as 0% APR! Check out the elpible ag tractors, hay and forage equipment and skid -steer loaders at your nearest New Holland dealer. Then check out the 0% APR financing plants available on new equipment during October. Get it all... powerful New Holland equiprnertt, reliable performance you can trust and, now, an even more affordable price. 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