Page 8 - D12771 - LBMAO - Jan-Feb-2018 - REPORTER - web

Message from the PRESIDENT

don't wait for spring - do it now!

david campbell summary of Ontario Bill 148 “Fair Workplace, paying employment. So, if you are anticipating
LBMAO President A Better Jobs Act” is detailed in this Reporter a strong spring business, now is the time to be
magazine and will be helpful in determining approaching your local high school guidance
employers’ responsibilities and timelines with this counsellors and job banks; and now is the time to
new legislation. I would suggest that most of our start advertising in your local papers to hire and
member companies are not in agreement with train new employees.
many of these enforced changes - the increase in Many members have told me over the past
minimum wages starting January 1, 2018 being several months that they are having a difficult
the most controversial. time recruiting estimators, contractor sales
As of the writing of this article, it was just people, truck drivers and other skilled positions
announced by statistics Canada that the jobless within their companies. This is the level of
rate in Canada has dropped to the lowest it has employment that is a challenge to fill, so being
been in 41 years to 5.7% nationally creative in a recruitment campaign for your
"Now is the and 5.5% for Ontario. Most of our business as well as offering a competitive
member businesses enjoyed a very compensation package will be critical to make
time for you to successful 2017 and this coming your company an attractive prospect and not lose
start recruiting year appears to be on track to be employees.
equally as busy and profitable. My If we could only put in place a government
workers for your point would be that the provincial that will focus on providing and financing
businesses, don't government did not need to force infrastructure, social programs, policing,
private enterprises to increase wages; education, health care and not trying to run
wait until the market forces will do that quite private industry, we would be in a much better
spring! You will nicely! position to move forward when the global
As a matter of fact, we are heading economy starts to take off. Yes, we are doing OK
most probably into a perfect storm! A shortage of in Ontario, but just think how much better we
have an extremely workers, a booming economy and, would be if we didn’t have the level of provincial
hopefully, a change of provincial debt (interest rates will be going up and so will the
difficult time filling government in June will drive demand debt), high cost of electricity and the burden of
your positions as for a quality workforce. Now is the cost of government that we have today.
the time for you to start recruiting
As I have written in past columns, going into
competition for workers for your businesses, don’t business today is a challenge with the costs and
wait until the spring! You will regulatory commitments that we have in Ontario.
GOOD employees most probably have an extremely Remember that when the election comes in June
will be fierce." difficult time filling your positions as of this year. A change of government is long
competition for GOOD employees will overdue!
be fierce.
The new minimum wage at $14.00 an hour is
causing grief for many employers, particularly
in the service and food/hospitality industries.
This sector of private industry is the first stop for
many new immigrants, students, recent graduates
from high school and those who don’t have
the experience or job skills to move into better

8 LBMAO Reporter - January-February 2018 www.lbmao.on.ca