posted 23 July 2003 08:15 PM
Did you know that right now all building sites in Québec (with a few exceptions) are shut down for two weeks for the annual CONSTRUCTION HOLIDAYS? And many other businesses, associations and other employers follow suit - two restaurants round the corner for me have closed for the two weeks. http://www.ccq.org/eng/conventions/conges.htm
From: Se non ora, quando? | Registered: Apr 2002
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Doug
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 44
posted 23 July 2003 09:09 PM
How long do you think that's going to survive Jean Charest, though. It's just not competitive, you know.
From: Toronto, Canada | Registered: Apr 2001
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Geneva
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3808
posted 24 July 2003 11:40 AM
there is another side to that argument: in a short-summer country like Canada, more so Quebec, every minute of outdoor working time in good weather, and every chance for overtime and double-overtime, should be used to the max in summer. No shortage of dead time in winter/spring.
The construction holiday should be revised, to everyone's benefit, in negotiations, which as I understand, have been proposed several times in the past.
[ 24 July 2003: Message edited by: Geneva ]
From: um, well | Registered: Feb 2003
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lagatta
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2534
posted 24 July 2003 11:52 AM
Yeah, but what construction worker with a family wants a winter holiday?
A single person with a union-scale job (despite dead time) can afford to take off to Cuba or somewhere for a week at the beach, but it is prohibitive for someone with three kids. Often winter holidays just mean sitting at home and watching the tube...
I like to think of our construction holidays as a touch of civility and courtesy to workers. After all, in France they get a minimum of, what is it now, five weeks' holiday?
From: Se non ora, quando? | Registered: Apr 2002
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DrConway
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 490
posted 24 July 2003 09:52 PM
Why, five weeks holiday?! Those socialist commie bastards have it way too easy! They let their workers get far too uppity for their own good. Why next thing you know they'll be insisting that workers don't have to be run half-ragged to death to keep them from enjoying anything.
(tongue firmly in cheek, of course)
From: You shall not side with the great against the powerless. | Registered: May 2001
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