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All hail the big job machine

Teachers laid off, Catalyst employees on edge about company's future, No Frills taking a pay cut — but there may be 21 coal jobs - woopdedo

To the Editor,

I see 17.5 teaching positions are being eliminated at SD70. I also hear the sound of 280 employees of Catalyst Port Alberni holding their breath on news if their company will survive.

Oh, and the dozens of sawmill workers who depend in part on Catalyst might be wondering too.

Wasn’t there a story on a local shingle mill laying off people?  How is No Frills working out with a fraction of its floor space and workforce and workers taking a pay cut?

I hear Zellers in Nanaimo is laying off all its workers before Target moves in— what’s happening at our store here?

Oh well, it’s all OK. Christy Clark’s Families and Jobs First Plan and Stephen Harper’s Economic Action Plan v.2 will save us with those local Raven coal port jobs!

That’s: two longshoremen; six tradespeople; four load-out operators; eight heavy equipment operators; and one manager.

That’s 21 jobs! Plus 50 truck drivers might park their rigs here too if we’re lucky.  I wonder if they will cover the extra property taxes needed for road work?

Demand is booming at Nanaimo food banks. Is it the same in Port? And I hear we’re getting a new holiday next February.Problems solved!

Chris Alemany,

Port Alberni