Author Archives: CanucksBanter
Editorial Cartoons: September 19, 2013
The Tyee – Canadian Taxpayers Federation Demands Accountability, but Not for Itself
Job vacancies, three-month average ending in June 2013
Statistics Canada reports 6.3 unemployed people for every job vacancy in Canada in June 2013. That’s up from 5.2 a year earlier.
http://www.statcan.gc.ca
Canadian businesses reported 216,000 job vacancies in June, down 47,000 from June 2012. For every job vacancy, there were 6.3 unemployed people, up from 5.2 a year earlier. The increase in the unemployment-to-job vacancies ratio was the result of fewer job vacancies, as the number of unemployed people was little changed.
Ratio increases in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta
Provincially, Ontario had the most notable increase in the unemployment-to-job vacancies ratio, going from 6.8 unemployed people for every job vacancy in June 2012 to 8.6 in June 2013. The ratio increased because there were fewer job vacancies in the province, as the number of unemployed people was little changed.
Chart 1
Unemployment-to-job vacancies ratio, all unemployed, by province, three-month average, June 2012 and June 2013
Saskatchewan’s unemployment-to-job vacancies ratio also went up, from 1.8 to 2.6, as the number of job vacancies fell faster than the number of unemployed.
The ratio in Alberta rose over this 12-month period from 1.6 unemployed people per job vacancy to 2.4. The increase in the ratio was due to fewer job vacancies, as the number of unemployed people was little changed.
Despite these increases, Saskatchewan and Alberta remained the provinces with the lowest unemployment-to-job vacancy ratios.
In the remaining provinces, the unemployment-to-job vacancy ratios were little changed compared with June 2012.
Ratio by sector
Among the large industrial sectors, construction had the highest number of unemployed people per vacancy, at 8.0 in June, up from 3.9 in June 2012. The entire increase was the result of fewer job vacancies in this sector.
The ratio in wholesale trade rose from 2.0 in June 2012 to 4.4 in June 2013. The increase occurred as the number of unemployed went up, while job vacancies declined notably.
Chart 2
Unemployment-to-job vacancies ratio, by largest industrial sector, unemployed people who last worked within past 12 months, three-month average, June 2012 and June 2013
Manufacturing had a ratio of 5.7 unemployed people for every vacant job in June, up from 4.4 a year earlier, as there were fewer vacancies in this sector.
The ratio in transportation and warehousing increased from 2.5 in June 2012 to 3.6 in June 2013.
The unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio in health care and social assistance was 1.3 in June, the lowest of all industrial sectors. This ratio was unchanged from 12 months earlier. There was little change among the other large industrial sectors.
Among the smaller industrial sectors, regional and Aboriginal public administration as well as “other services” saw an increase in their ratio over the 12-month period, as they both posted an increase in the number of unemployed and little change in job vacancies.
Job vacancy rates
The job vacancy rate is defined as the number of vacant positions divided by total labour demand, that is, occupied positions plus vacant positions. It corresponds to the share of jobs that are unfilled out of all payroll jobs available. Higher job vacancy rates are often associated with periods of economic growth, while lower rates may be associated with periods of slower growth or economic contraction.
In June, the national job vacancy rate among Canadian businesses was 1.5%, down from 1.8% a year earlier.
Chart 3
Job vacancy rate, by province, three-month average, June 2012 and June 2013
Chart description: Job vacancy rate, by province, three-month average, June 2012 and June 2013
Provincially, the job vacancy rate declined in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, while it was little changed elsewhere.
In Alberta, the rate fell from 3.4% to 2.4% between June 2012 and June 2013. Over the same period, the job vacancy rate declined from 3.3% to 2.0% in Saskatchewan, from 1.5% to 1.2% in Ontario, and from 1.5% to 1.1% in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Job vacancy rates by sector
Compared with 12 months earlier, the job vacancy rate declined in six sectors and was little changed in the other sectors.
Construction had 13,000 job vacancies and a job vacancy rate of 1.4% in June, down from 3.0% in June 2012. Retail trade also saw its rate decline from 1.8% to 1.4% over the same period. The sector had 26,000 job vacancies in June 2013.
The job vacancy rate in manufacturing fell from 1.3% to 1.1% in the 12-month period, with 17,000 job vacancies in June 2013. Wholesale trade saw its rate decline from 1.7% to 1.0%, with 7,300 vacancies. The vacancy rate in finance and insurance fell from 1.4% to 0.9%, with 6,400 vacancies.
The lowest job vacancy rate was recorded in educational services, at 0.5%, down from 0.7% a year earlier. In June 2013, there were 5,700 job vacancies in this sector.
Tentative deal reached for CUPE’s public school education workers—CUPE BC
RICHMOND, BC—The Canadian Union of Public Employees has reached a tentative Provincial Framework Agreement with the BC Public Schools Employers’ Association (BCPSEA). The Framework Agreement was unanimously endorsed by the CUPE BC K-12 Provincial Bargaining Sub-Committee and will be recommended to the CUPE BC K-12 Presidents’ Council for endorsement.
Each CUPE union local will then take this provincial agreement to their respective tables with school districts to conclude collective bargaining.
“Over two years this agreement provides our members a total 3.5 percent wage adjustment, with no concessions,” said CUPE BC K-12 Presidents’ Council Chair Colin Pawson. “We were also able to work with the employer on a pay direct drug card.”
“As well, the agreement recognizes the professional role of Education Assistants through formal changes to the School Act and collective agreements,” added Pawson.
The agreement provides a 1 percent wage increase on July 1, 2013, 2 percent on February 1, 2014 and 0.5 percent on May 1, 2014.
“CUPE BC’s 27,000 education workers are vital to keeping our schools clean, safe and inclusive,” said CUPE BC President Mark Hancock. “I want to thank all 85,000 of our members across the province, and our K-12 members in particular, for their solidarity. It’s only because we held together that we were able to negotiate a fair and reasonable contract, despite demands for concessions from the government.”
“I would also like to thank the BC Teachers’ Federation for their unwavering commitment to public education in our province and for their strong support during these difficult negotiations,” added Hancock.
Key Provincial Framework Agreement details:
- The agreement’s term is July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2014.
- It provides a wage increase of 3.5 percent.
- The introduction of a pay direct card for up-front drug expenses for virtually all Locals.
- There are no concessions for CUPE members.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees represents more than 27,000 education workers in BC’s K-12 system.
This agreement covers union members in 69 bargaining units across BC. CUPE represents members in 57 of those bargaining units.
IUOE Local 963 Business Manager Tim DeVivo represented the 12 other education worker union locals in this process.
– See more at: http://cupe.bc.ca/news/3159#sthash.VCKdsfPn.dpuf
Andrew Phillip Chernoff 