CWB Lays off 135 employees

[JACKFLASH]

Heard that 135 employees were laid off this afternoon. Does anyone else have any more info.

The CWB has a workforce of 500,this equates to roughly 1/4 of employees laid off. Can't be that many in the currency risk management department.

If this comes to pass. It looks like the feds have closed the cookie jar.

[AdamSmith]

I saw a CTV Newsnet report that reported nearly a 1/3 of CWB employees will be sacked by the end of June.

Something tells me not many of the six figure salary crowd that botched last years marketing program will be getting the ax.

My guess it will be Sally and Mary in accounting, Jim in the mailroom, Doug the nightwatchman, and Amber the fitness instucter who'll be sending out resumes.

[wbrower]

The $5 Million or so that this staff cut might represent still does not correct the $2.75 Cdn. per bushel that the CWB is short changing Western Canadian farmers for #1 high protein Winter Wheat. The board is currently paying $2.09 for #1 high protein winter wheat in southern Alberta. In northern Montana grain companies are paying $3.70 US per bushel, for the same product. That is, $2.75 Cdn per bushel more than CWB is paying. More than double.

Why do farmers in western Canada let these clowns get away with this kind of theft?

[eatmorewheat]

Let's hope this is the beginning of the end of a dark chapter in the history of Canada.

Choice builds nations.

Free wheat in the west.

[chaffmeister]

According to the CWB news release, about 20% of the 584 staff are being laid off. That makes it 117 people.

My guess is we'll see the transportation department scaled down (a good thing as it is huge and absolutely redundant), IT, and I'll stick my neck out, one senior person in marketing.

[parsley]

One of the marketing clowns that lied under oath?

[chaffmeister]

Correction to the my numbers. CWB press release indeed said "over 20%" but also included the number of 135 people. That makes it 23% of the total. Perhaps that's their problem with marketing too - they need new calculators.

A contact at the CWB tells me that those that are being asked to leave will know by mid-Feb - the whole shake out/reorganization to take place by end of the crop year.

I think the thing to watch for is how much they replace "staff" with "outsource" talent.

Parsley - I wasn't thinking about the person you are.

[JACKFLASH]

I was called by my elevator yesterday. The CWB marketing rep is coming to discuss their programs. Fixed price contracts, basis, PPO's, exchange for physicals.

I'am thinking what's the change, before you had to do all the work yourself.

Maybe the CWB wants everyone to go on the program because the pooling system is not going to deliever enough back to the farmer in the end, since it's in such arears.

[parsley]

Had a call today, which said that although the CWB has plans to lay off employees, that doesn't mean there will be more work for the remaining workers. Instead, they are going to contract out work. Whether or not it's with the ex-employees or with new contacts is yet to be seen.

Maybe they established some good contacts with "Big L contract potential" at that fundraiser they attended in Winnipeg.

Now Chaffmeister, how could you possibly know who I was thinking about? You have to ask, which liar?

Parsley

[ixl]

I agree with 'eatmorewheat', with the positive moves that farmers in ON are getting, this is finally a step in the right direction those of us out west have been watching and waiting for, for a long, long time. Maybe those who are out of a job can come and drive tractors and combines and do some beneficial work for us, for a change!!

[TOM4CWB]

Parsley;

When at Farmtech I was told from a reliable source... a CWB employee... that contracting out will be one of the major benefits of laying off these CWB staff, as then the are more flexible in staffing/personel... also sounded like Most V.P.'s have been reappointed.

[parsley]

Look at it from the CWB's point of view:

1. Screeing Problems

Difficult to hire employees if you want to hire based on political viewpoint. The guy who has a masters degree in marketing is better qualified than the guy who has the bachelors degree, but the latter preaches single-desk, while the former is non-commital and is maybe a cousin of Joe Clark's family. You end up with a few lumps that won't genuflect.

2. Purchased Loyalty

In contracting, you hire for one piece of work, and then you're sure. You've already had the person recommended by the government, who says they are a Liberal, they are loyal so pay them well. Pre-screened, so to speak.

On the farmer's side:

1. Frustration prevention.

We'll feel better, because instead of coming to grips with fitness intructor's
salaries every year(forgot her mane AdamSmith), all these contracting costs will be hidden in a column called sensitive information. We'll sleep better.

2. Employment Opportunities

The CWB will be tucked under a living-contract blanket, hemmed Liberal, so we know when we 'go broke', we simply apply for a L membership and we'll have a good chance at a job if a hearty cheque is submitted with the mbshp application. Remember....Hearty Borrow from Eastern farmers if you must..

3.Better and MORE Board Communication

With all these changes for all these economically-challenged farmers, the Board will have to thunder in, snorting and self-puffing, on more inflated communication-budget-contracted workhorse to save all Western farmers from the perils of a free market system, with marching orders, singing in unison, "God save the Board" I'm not quite sure who will lead the parade.

I'm rather looking forward to the spectacle.

Parsley