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The Citizen, 1992-12-16, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1992. When good ideas go bad On the surface, it sounds like a motherhood issue. How can you argue against equal pay for work of equal value? But somewhere along the way pay equity has become a farce. Huron county taxpayers will absorb another hit in their wallet this year because of a $254,000 equity adjustment for Huronview employees. Other County departments have already absorbed the cost of pay equity settlements at the same time as they tried to hold the line on increased costs. In some cases it means taxpayers will pay more to get less because services had to be cut to offset the increased costs of pay equity. The problem is in the "for pay of equal value" aspect of pay equity. The theory is that just because a job is often done by women, it shouldn't be under valued. Why, for instance, is a secretary worth less than a man doing some other job that has the same value to the employer. The difficulty is in deciding which job is worth how much. Lengthy, expensive studies have had to be carried out to decide who should be paid how much and who should be compared to who. The county's non-union employee plan has been thrown out after years of negotiation and it has had to start all over again. In practice, pay equity has meant that the search to find someone to compare female workers always means men in a higher income position are chosen for comparison. In some cases it means that men working in a female-dominated department, but getting the same salary as women they work beside, might get a raise because the women they work with are judged to be doing a job of the same value as some other men somewhere else. What's more, Huron County Clerk-Treasurer Nigel Bellchamber says, the settlement is subject to constant challenges from anyone who thinks it isn't fair. Unions, for instance, can bring complaints against the system. Moreover the Pay Equity commissioners start out with the assumption there is gender bias in the system that must be rooted out. They're never likely to say the complainant is wrong. Insane as this juggling is, it can be done when it comes to a tax- supported organization such as county government or the provincial government. It means costs go up at a time when governments should be holding the line, but it can be achieved by simply increasing taxes. The frightening prospect is that the next step for the government is to bring pay equity to private businesses. If the search was only to ensure that women and men in the same company are paid equally, it might be complicated but just. But if outside comparisons as made then many small businesses are in trouble. If someone decides that women in one company should really be paid as much as men in another doing a different job, where is the money to come from to pay the extra costs? Pay equity, in principle, is a fine idea. But someone, somewhere has got to bring some common sense to the process.—KR Now you see it, now you don’t One of the world's richest men died Sunday. K. C. Irving was one of the most improbable billionaires. He and his family, managed to achieve ranking as the 18th wealthiest family in the world with assets of more than $5 billion even though nearly all his business was concentrated in the small, relatively poor, province of New Brunswick. From oil to forestry to newspapers and radio, Irving controlled a huge part of the province's economy. Only in recent years has the family started branching out, infiltrating the New England states with its gas stations. Irving hasn’t lived in new Brunswick for years. He moved to the Bahamas in 1971 to avoid taxes (he later moved on to Bermuda). His business dealings reveal the way of the future now that restrictions have been reduced in the flow of capital across international borders. Irving perfected a system to avoid taxes by setting up companies in low-tax countries like Bermuda which managed to make all the profits while selling "services" to the companies back home in New Brunswick, that generated the revenews, never made all the money. This is the challenge countries face in the world: when companies can shift their profits out of range of the national government, how can the government function? A bill now in the U.S. congress is worrying foreign companies. It would try to keep companies from setting up structures where the U.S. subsidiary buying services at a loss from branches set up in low-tax countries.lt may result in a minimum tax on foreign companies. Canadian business thinks it is unfair but it may be a step other countries may adopt if they want big business to pay its share of the bill.—KR A room with a view Photo by Bonnie Gropp Looking Back Through the Years ONE YEAR AGO December 16,1991 Blyth and Wingham Fire Depart­ ments responded to the home of Dan Hunter, North Half Lot 2, Cone. 6 of Morris Township. Despite their combined efforts the house was completely gutted. Blyth Optimists and Radford group employees collected more than 1500 items of food and toys and $1400 in cash from area people for the Huron County Christmas Bureau. THREE YEARS AGO December 13,1989 Fire destroyed a large dairy bam, belonging to Peter DeGraaf of RR 3, Auburn, and killed 25-35 head of dairy cattle as well. Klaus and Kristin Henschel appeared in court in Goderich to speak to 15 counts of fraud and theft in connection with the bankruptcy of Brussels Stockyards Limited in October 1988. FIVE YEARS AGO December 16,1987 Brussels and Blyth firemen bat­ tled freezing rain and strong winds as they fought a fire at a barn owned by Ross Nichol on cone. 6 of Morris township. A tour bus carrying some 45 senior citizens on their way to Hamilton went off Huron County Road 12 two and one half miles south of Brussels, injuring 10 to 15 passengers. Kerrie Shepherd of RR 1, Blyth and Peter McDonald of RR 2, Brussels won the gold medal in Novice Dance at the Canadian Divisional Figure Skating Champi­ onships in London. C itizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1 HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $20.50/year ($19.16 plus $1.34 G.S.T.) for local; $31.03/year ($29.00 plus $2.03 G.S.T.) for local letter carrier in Goderich, Hanover, Ustowel, etc. and out-of-area (40 miles from Brussels); $60.00/year for U.S.A, and Foreign. Advertising is accepted on the condition that In the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copywright. (*CNA Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Sales Representatives, Jeannette McNeil and Merle Gunby Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 Serving Blyth, Brussels, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and the surrounding townships.