PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS DO NOT EQUAL SOCIALISM

PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS DO NOT EQUAL SOCIALISM

(These thoughts are purely the blunt, no nonsense personal opinions of the author about financial fairness and discrimination and are not intended to provide personal or financial advice.)

This blog post was prompted by an opinion letter in a local newspaper where certain conservative persons continue to demonize public sector jobs.  The opinion letter below was submitted to the local newspaper in response, but in a shortened format since only so many words can be submitted to newspapers.  The Fraser Institute report consists of blatant gaslighting since what is left out of the report is the fact that the population growth of Alberta in 2014 to 2018 was 223,000 in comparison to Saskatchewan’s 49,000 increase.

April 18, 2019 opinion letter “Public sector jobs not equal to private” again equates public sector jobs to socialism.  Quoted Fraser Institute, (right-wing think tank) report “The Illusion of Alberta’s Job Recovery” (jobs) has to be one of the most gaslighting reports ever produced.

Report states from 2014 to 2018 Alberta’s employment growth has increased by 79,000 new government jobs (23% increase) while private sector jobs have decreased by 3%. Government’s share of total employment is 23%, private sector and self-employed 77%. They then compare this to Saskatchewan’s government jobs increase of 2.1%.

Fact check:  Alberta population 4.084 million in 2014, 4.307 million in 2018 (223,000 increase).  Alta. births 55,574 in 2014, 56,239 in 2018. Saskatchewan population 2014 1.113 million, 2018 1.162 million (49,000 increase) .  Sask. births in fiscal 2014 15,157, fiscal 2018 15,693.

In entire Fraser Institute report it failed to mention that the population of Alberta increased by almost a quarter of a million persons in 2014 to 2018 while Saskatchewan’s population increased by only 50,000 persons.

Alberta birth and population growth rates have been increasing while death rates are declining.  In first twenty years of life education and medical care are not mutually exclusive but both must occur simultaneously thus requiring more employees. Death rates are declining so people living longer with greater medical needs require more medical care.

Alberta comparison to Saskatchewan is moronic.  Ever increasing population and birth rates (second highest birth rate in Canada) require increases in education, medical care, police, firefighter services to support that population.  It has nothing to do with socialism.

While we are at it, why don’t we talk about job inequity of a different kind, that is, the pay inequity of women to men.  (Canada is ranked as having the 8th highest gender pay gap out of a list of 43 countries in 2016 ….. earn approximately $7,200 less annually than their male counterparts the-wage-gap).

The Alberta employment crisis affects everyone in different ways. Public sector employees are not immune. They also have problems selling their houses.  Education and medical care employees suffer emotional and psychological stress in their jobs when they come in contact with the pain of unemployed private sector persons and children. While private sector unemployed with children will receive higher Canada Child Benefits private sector unemployed unattached persons with no children receive nothing in comparable benefits.  Families with combined private and public sector spouses likely still have one person employed. Public sector employed help support private sector unemployed by paying taxes.

The opinion writer on public sector socialism states jobs growth via socialism is trying to magically make unemployment disappear by simply having 100% government jobs. This is a false because some would be very unhappy that they couldn’t increase their incomes and benefit levels to that of corporate and wealthy private sector elites.

To prevent chaos there are vital services for the public good like airline safety, food inspection, disease control (measles), etc. that should be free of entrepreneurship and shareholder ideology.  These public services are not defined by socialism.

CONCLUSION

Many who talk about the public sector being equal to socialism do not understand what socialism is all about and incorrectly label many things as socialism when they are not. Much more public work needs to done to correct inequality and promote social justice for all workers.

(This blog is of a general nature about financial discrimination of individuals/singles.  It is not intended to provide personal or financial advice.)

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