Today marks the third time in the past four months that I get booted off a pre-arranged radio interview on minimum wages in BC. What is it about this topic that the universe doesn’t want me to say on live radio? I mean, I try not to be superstitious, but the string of coincidences is starting to get long.
You see, as an economist and public interest researcher at the CCPA, I occasionally get invitations from talk radio to discuss or debate the economic and social policy questions of the day. And since our minimum wages in BC have been frozen for eight full years now, the debate around whether we should increase the minimum wage comes up every so often. Usually, it’s around some auspicious date, such as the day that we took the rock-bottom place in Canada (that was September 1st, 2009) or the anniversary of our embarrassingly low $8 minimum wage (November 1st).
But I just can’t get airtime to discuss the minimum wage on talk radio. Typically, I get bumped off the list in favour of another guest, usually Jim Sinclair from the BC Fed. Ok, I get it: I’m a policy wonk somewhat removed from the proverbial real world while he’s right in there representing the workers, and listeners are more interested to hear from the people directly involved, not just from analysts. Fair enough.
This time around, however, something different happened. My Monday morning TALK 1410 live radio debate on the minimum wage was canceled, period. The reality is that, as of today, Vancouver has one fewer talk radio stations, as TALK 1410 rebranded itself as an all-sports station and became TEAM 1410.
The global recession has not been kind to traditional media. Sadly, this has impacts that go beyond direct job losses and reduced consumer spending to the much more important issues of media democracy as more and more voices are excluded from the mainstream media.
So this coming Monday at 7am, you won’t hear me discuss what we should do about our low minimum wages. But you can stay tuned for extensive coverage of the latest most-crucial-must-win game.
As if you needed one more reason to go to Media Democracy Day at the Vancouver Public Library this Saturday.
Keith Reynolds // Nov 6, 2009 at 11:25 pm
I am sorry you didn’t get a chance to talk about this important issue but something happened today which is almost miraculous. Sun columnist Don Cayo, who is no freind of labour, came onside on the need to increase the minimum wage.
http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=cfbe6cd2-8d97-4e30-82b0-f40ac0defdb3&p=1
He goes on to say:
“That said, B.C. businesses have been getting a free ride on this one for some time. If the province had raised the minimum wage back in ‘06 or ‘07 — when it was due and when the economy was cooking — then low-wage companies here would already be paying higher rates. I’m confident that most would cope — a full range of businesses still manage to operate in every other province, many of which are being hit harder than us by the economic downturn.”
Will wonders never cease?
Norman Farrell // Nov 8, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Even a former servant of one of the right wing “research” institutes funded by the Donner Canadian Foundation is ashamed of BC’s near decade long minimum wage freeze, maybe something will change in the next five or six years.
First though, we need to get executive compensation levels up to standard. It’s shocking how many senior business people, including public servants, are earning less than $1 million a year.
http://northerninsights.blogspot.com/2009/08/on-other-hand.html
Rafe Mair // Nov 10, 2009 at 7:36 pm
First, thanks fo access that doesn’t require a doctorate to master!
Very briefly, there once was a talk show where no topics were taboo. The host is unlikely to return but vfar more sadly, the show isn’t either. The pallid crap that passes for talk radio is shocking; what is more shcking is that when a young woman comes along, Simi Sara, showing the ability to bring talk radio back, she’s gone.
Thanx,
Rafe
Iglika Ivanova // Nov 11, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Thanks for the comments, everyone.
Keith, I did see that article. There have been others too, like this short editorial in the Province titled “Time to hike BC minimum wage” (published on Nov. 3).
I think what we’re seeing is that the huge disparities in this province are becoming harder and harder to shrug off with time, and that people are starting to catch on.
Norman, nice job laying out the contradictions of the past two Campbell administrations on your blog. This is the type of stuff that people need to be reminded about on a regular basis.
Rafe, funny you should mention Simi Sara – I was invited to discuss the minimum wage on her show before the radio station jumped ship. I hope she gets picked up by another station and goes on making excellent talk radio in this city.