Ensuring equality in growing sectors of the economy

The caring professions and other female-dominated areas of the economy are projected to create the most jobs in Canada over the next decade. With the future of jobs increasingly female, we need to focus on raising wages and creating good jobs in these sectors to improve the quality of jobs for everyone. Thirty per cent of the new jobs projected to be created in the next seven years are expected to be in health care and social assistance, where the workforce is now 83 per cent female. The second-largest share of jobs (8.3 per cent of the total) will be created in the retail sector, where the workforce is 54 per cent female. The male-dominated construction industry will create 7.7 per cent of new jobs. Close behind construction are new jobs in education, accommodation and food services, where the workforce is also predominantly female. The share of jobs in primary, resource … Read more…

Living wages

“Imagine an Antigonish where fire departments have all the volunteers that they need, people move home from out west because they can get a good paying job here, families are reunited. People are able to take time to volunteer and help others within the community and continue the social action movements that Antigonish is known for.This would be ideal; however, this cannot happen without income security and appropriate social policies.” “A living wage is one component of achieving this vision. For example, a living wage would allow people to seek out jobs in the area, stimulating the economy and strengthening social capital. People would be able to take time to volunteer as they would not need to work an extra job just to put food on the table. Antigonish would flourish, both on an individual and community level. The economy would be stimulated and grow and businesses would prosper. There … Read more…

Swedish secrets to a strong economy

It may be at odds with conventional economic views, but Sweden is showing that strong unions and greater equality are the recipe for strong economic growth. Sweden’s economy has grown an average of 3.5 per cent annually since the Social Democratic Party formed government in 2014 – well above Canada and other European countries. This has been associated with strong job growth, rising real wages, rising productivity, low inflation, high tax rates, increased social spending, and balanced budgets. Sweden’s finance minister Magdalena Andersson, an economist, sums up their success in three points: “It’s the jobs, it’s our welfare and it’s our redistribution,” she says. Sweden also has the highest rate of labour force participation in the European Union thanks to publicly-funded parental leave and affordable daycare, which make it easier for all parents to work.