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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-03-19, Page 24While many children were spending their vacation visiting relatives or watching Young Canada Week action, 35 youigsiers were registered in the Recreation Department's Holiday Happen- ings at Victoria School. The week was filled with games, hunts, swimming, plays and movies, and a party at McDonald's. Holiday Happenings has been going on for 12 years. This year's happenings were co-ordinated by Bob Marshall of the, Recreation Office. Some of the participants included; Erin Corriveau, BobieJo Elliot, Amber Hurloch, Carmen Leta, Lisa Forrce, Natalie Smith, Graham Crawford, Caroline Steward and Danielle O'Brien. (photo by Kathleen Carter) Women caught in cycle of poverty • from page 2A possibility for Canada, economists in the United States have calculated that going this route to eliminate the wage gap would take 75 to 100: years. Women and their families are bearing the costs of financial inequality right now and we have to be con- cerned about that. CRITICISM No. 3: Employers will stop hiring women if pay equity is implemented - That hasn't happened in other countries where pay equity is already in place. In Australia, pay equity was phased in over a three-year period from 1972 to 1975. The employment of women continued to in- crease during that period. In fact, between 1973 and 1977; women's employment grew by an average of 3.6 percent a year. Employment for men increased by only 1.1 percent a year on average during that time. Unemployment rates for both women and men jumped in, 1975, but that was because the Australian economy had ex- perienced a sharp slowdown the year before. And, incidentally, the unemploy- ment rate for men jumped more than the unemployment rate for women. Economists at the Australian National University who have studied this say that "job segregation appears to be very rigid and is probably the key factor that ex- plains why female employment and unemployment have been so insensitive to such a large increase in female pay". (Women's wages rose by 25 to 30 percent as a result of the implementation of pay equity). The Australian experience, say these economists, "warns against the ad- vice that is often offered in the U.S. that the best way to increase female earnings is to break down occupational segregation Experience in Great with l Experience Britain equal pay for work of equal value has shown similar results. Laws there were suc- cessful in narrowing the wage gap between women and men by 14.8 percent. CRITICISM No. 4: An army of bureaucrats will be needed to implement it - This hasn't happened either in those jurisdictions where pay equity is already working. Many employers already have job evaluation systems that can be adapted to implement the concept of equal pay for work of equal value. In Minnesota, for instance, jobs are evaluated by the employer's existing personnel staff and wage increases are determined through the usual collective bargaining process. CRITICISM No. 5: It will interfere with collective bargaining - Unions have sup- ported pay equity. Employers have been able to implement pay equity provisions as part of the collective bargaining process. The Minnesota state legislature started its first pay equity adjustments in 1983. It allocated funds for the purpose and the funds ' were assigned to 'the different bargaining units in proportion to the total cost of implementing pay equity for eatfh unit. The actual distribution of pay equity increases. like other salary increases, was notiated through the usual collective bargaining process and contracts signed in 1983 awarded these funds to those in under- paid female classes. CRITICISM No. 6: It will cost too much - It is inevitable that the implementation or pay equity will cost money, but the cost need not be prohibitive. Minnesota had to set aside about 1.25 percent of its total payroll each year for a period of about four years to implement pay equity. The city of Colorado Springs estimates that it cost less than one per cent a year of the city's budget. Secretaries there now earn 96 per- cent of the wages for comparable jobs in maintenance and operations. Manitoba estimates that pay equity can be phased in over a four-year period if employers set aside an amount equivalent to about one per cent of payroll each year. "I am deeply concerned about the'ine- quities still faced by the women of this country," says Walter McLean, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. "I ,am concerned about the increasing feminization of poverty. Women are in the labour force working to support themselves and their families. They must be paid fairly for the work they do. Without decent wages they will beunable to ac- cumulate decent pensions and the cycle of .poverty in old age will be perpetuated. "It is women who are bearing the costs of unequal pay right now, and that's'a cost I believe Canada can ill afford." County council will present 1986 budget BY STEPHANIE LEVESQUE Huron founty council will be presenting its 1986 budget at a special meeting this Friday, Mar. 21. The various departments ha". already presented their individual budg or the coming year. All have been subj€ final approval Of the entire county buc When considering the budget, county council' will also have_to make a decision regarding renovations at Huronview, GODERICH ESSO CENTRE All Repairs -Major, Minor *Party Supplies •VCR Tapes and Rentals •Pop Specials OPEN 7 DAYS AWEEK' Sun.-Thurs. 7 am -1 am Fri. -Sat. 7 am -2 am 79 Victoria St., N. Goderich 524,8612 Imo BIGSA.LESBREANottinntma• j home for the aged, south of Clinton. The Huron County Board of education will hold a special meeting Apr. 1 at 8 p.m: to in- troduce its 1986 budget. Clerk -treasurers and elected officials from each municipality and the general public are invited to aurid the meeting in the board office in Clinton. Huron County council mad, its annual ap- pointment to the various hospital boards in the county. Representing the county are: 1 H. BRUCE ERSKINE 86 North St.. Goderich 524-9555 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE MAJOR COMPANIES ONLY 1 • • W y% ix'1 2//r/..xaax�bea.0 ,� 5 Piece Oak Finish List 4 5698.00 $ 4 0' O BEDROOM SUITE Spec. o • TRACTOR TRAILERLOAD SALE 32" - 36" - 39" - 48" • 54" - 60" - 72" - 80" WIDTH BOX SPRINGS & MATTRESSES • GUARANTEED STRATFORD'S LARGEST STOCK! _ 1 1 • 1 s PERTH FURNITURE 684 Ontario St., Stratford Lots of parking, drive in off Burritt Street WE DELIVER STRATFORD STORE ONLY IIIA •�I�� r iri�a►�MrR411 NUM 0•11111110 • GODERICH.'SIGNAL-STAR, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986 PAGE 3A NEILSONS TOFFIFAY $ 5 99 391 G. CONAIR HIGH ENERGY HAIR $ c9 DRYER .I • KERR'S ASSORTED CANDIES 175G-2250• SCOTCH CLEAR TAPE $ 6 2 FOR • t♦ BUFFERIN TABLETS 48'S ANACIN TABLETS 1 9 50'S OR$ CAPSULES 36'5 • In Store Photofinishing PHOTOIli In before 3 p.m....Same day service s T 0 R E p 8 • SUB POST OFFICE i NAKAMURA PHARMACY SUNCOAST MAIL, GODERICH, 524-2195 A.M. Tty'9.M. andtioilidayoClosad G Robert W. Pike on the Wingham and District hospital board, Fred Tilley on the Seaforth community hospital board, Bev Skinner on the South Huron hospital board in Exeter, Wayne Lester on the Clinton public hospital boiard and Brad1e Vanstone on the Alexandra Marine and General hospital board in Goderich. Dorothy Smyth of Fordwich was honored by the Huron County Library Board upon her recent retirement. Alcan Building Products Division of Alcan Canada Products Limited II 111111111111 ALCAN Spring Is Here! YOUR HOME IS LIKELY THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT OF YOUR LIFETIME. WHY NOT PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY IT WITH •New Siding Replacement Windows •Eavestroughing Aluminum Soffit & Fascia LET -US ` HANDLE ALL YOUR BUILDING AND RENOVATING NEEDS. GET THE JUMP ON SPRING. CALL FOR FREE ESTIMATE TO -DAY. PEGG ONSTRUCTION LUCKNOW 528-3720. 11111116. IT'S LEVI'S �evrs Monday, March 24 - Saturday, March 29 OFF ALL LIEVIS PRODUCTS ettafricii OF GODERICH 0..