Labour Shortage

hoser

Industrial Slob
Our economy is hot, REALLY hot due to the oil sands in Fort McMurray and the fact that all the oil companies are based in our city. The city I'm in is a boom town and people are migrating here like crazy (population in 2002 was 850 000, now it's 1 001 000) The police service even got immigration canada to relax standards so they can recruit cops from the UK.

Recently, our centre was given a $3/hr COLA increase for package handlers, from $9.80 to $12.80. And the twilight is still unable to retain employees, rather than the hard work, they'd rather go down the street to Nortel, do a fraction of the work, and make $16/hr.

So now, rather than have employees quit, twilight is giving all employees the option to take Tuesdays and Thursdays off. 60% of twilight won't be showing up tonight, which backs everything up to the midnight sort that I'm on. Now our centre is going to use temps.

In fact, our centre is so choked, our PT supervisor (whose working 12 hour days, 5 days a week) said to us yesterday "don't laugh, but who wants to be a supervisor?"

Is anyone's centre as ridiculously short staffed as ours?
 

ragu

Active Member
You could give me a +20$ COLA adjustment, there's no way I would ever move up to that god forsaken hellhole. Although, I'm sure it's lovely from mid-July to mid-August.
 

DS

Fenderbender
hey hoser,I`m in Toronto.Where are you Calgary?Edmonton?
they asked a bunch of drivers to come to edmonton
and help out.Some of them want to move there now.
All deliveries,limited pickups...sounds nice.
but
cigarettes $9 a pack here $11.50 there
I lived in Jasper for almost 2 years,I was glad to get home.
 

helenofcalifornia

Well-Known Member
Hey, don't knock Canada! And things in Norcal are bad in trying to get new employees, but not THAT bad. How the heck does UPS allow any PTer to take off two days in a week? The employment boom sounds like Norcal in the late 90's when the dot-com business was roaring. Who wanted to work for $9 an hour when you could work with a startup (if you had any brains at all) and make a TON of money fast. (Or at least the promise of $$)
 

wadep

Well-Known Member
Road the Harley to Tim Hortons in Fort Sask Sunday afternoon, they're starting wage is now 16 bucks an hour. Did you say extra large coffee sir??????? *LOL*
 
S

speeddemon

Guest
We have 26 drivers, one driver sup. No center manager. The guy is thier from dusk till dawn, and they ride him so hard. Way to go corp!
 

hoser

Industrial Slob
You could give me a +20$ COLA adjustment, there's no way I would ever move up to that god forsaken hellhole. Although, I'm sure it's lovely from mid-July to mid-August.
30 minutes from the rocky mountains, right on the river, and at least once bi-weekly in winter, the weather goes from -20c to +20c. everything melts, everyone's out in shorts.

it's lovely february-november, assuming you like the balmy crap.

hey hoser,I`m in Toronto.Where are you Calgary?Edmonton?
they asked a bunch of drivers to come to edmonton
and help out.Some of them want to move there now.
All deliveries,limited pickups...sounds nice.
but
cigarettes $9 a pack here $11.50 there
I lived in Jasper for almost 2 years,I was glad to get home.
i be representing cow town :).

jasper's nice, but edmonton. my god. not worth the $20 COLA increase.

The employment boom sounds like Norcal in the late 90's when the dot-com business was roaring. Who wanted to work for $9 an hour when you could work with a startup (if you had any brains at all) and make a TON of money fast. (Or at least the promise of $$)
Energy and .com are just as volitile, although they have their subtle differences. One thing they have in common, though, is that when the bubble bursts, the bubble bursts BAD. Houses that were mortaged for $500 000 would have a hard time finding a buyer to repossess for $1.

Canada has a lot of good looking women.
Because they're all Polish and Indian :D
 

jlphotog

Well-Known Member
Is anyone's centre as ridiculously short staffed as ours?

I'm two hours north of you and like double standard said we have had a bunch of drivers come out from Ontario, Manitoba and BC to help out. But we haven't seen any one for the past month or so. Right now we are 10 full time drivers short. But Starting friend/t drivers are making $15 an hour and Tim Hortons is paying $16 to pour coffee... You do the math.
 
A

Anonymous Vancouverite

Guest
I work in the Vancouver Hub and there definitly is a labour shortage. Plus Canada does have good looking women!!
 

hoser

Industrial Slob
I'm two hours north of you and like double standard said we have had a bunch of drivers come out from Ontario, Manitoba and BC to help out. But we haven't seen any one for the past month or so. Right now we are 10 full time drivers short. But Starting friend/t drivers are making $15 an hour and Tim Hortons is paying $16 to pour coffee... You do the math.
Dead Deer or Deadmonton?

While starting a shift a few nights ago, I noticed two mechanics putting their tools, clothes, and boots into a suitcase. I inquired, and found out that they've came here for a month from Ontario, living out of the Hampton Inn! Crazy!

The shortage is so stupid, the employee owns the place. I took 3 weeks off for Christmas, although it's a school related trip.

I'd rather be a driver and bust my ass off doing an engaging job rather than standing around doing degrading tasks wearing a degrading uniform. And when the economy goes kaboom in a year or two, I'll have job protection, as franchisee's aren't really known for treating their employees with respect.

I work in the Vancouver Hub and there definitly is a labour shortage. Plus Canada does have good looking women!!
Ewww, Whistler chicks! *shudder*
 

jlphotog

Well-Known Member
Dead Deer or Deadmonton?

If it takes two hours to drive from Cow Town to Red Deer, then the QE2 is being miserable to you.

The drivers that have been brought out here have been put in suites in a four star hotel plus given a $40.00 a day food allowance and a rental car.

I don't think we will see anymore of them until spring hits. People from Southern Ontario, don't like Alberta winters.
 

hoser

Industrial Slob
If it takes two hours to drive from Cow Town to Red Deer, then the QE2 is being miserable to you.

The drivers that have been brought out here have been put in suites in a four star hotel plus given a $40.00 a day food allowance and a rental car.

I don't think we will see anymore of them until spring hits. People from Southern Ontario, don't like Alberta winters.
They don't like many things. Alberta Winters are a LOT kinder than Southern Ontario. Oh wait, you guys don't get chinooks :w00t:
 
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