Aboriginal Co-operatives in Canada - Centre for the Study of Co ...

~ C A S E S T U D I E Sment positions in the North. We want more mature people, but a person in their late forties isusually set in their life. They don’t like to move to the North, so it is very difficult for us tofind suitable candidates.”These problems of high turnover and a finite skilled labor pool have implications for the fiveyearplan. The co-op cannot expand or try business opportunities that require a large number ofemployees. It seems to have reached a plateau where it can operate successfully with the staffsituation. Several strategies are being employed to address these staffing problems.Education and training are promoted among the young people and adults in the community.A greater number of skilled people to draw on locally will mean more options for furtherdevelopment of co-op businesses. Bill comments,Arctic College provides different courses. There are problems, however, because firstof all, people have to want to go to take upgrading and other courses; and second, oncethey decide to try, often the courses are too hard because they don’t have the requiredbackground. For example, to take a good bookkeeping course you need grade 10 ormore. I took two courses but I just couldn’t go through the whole thing because it wastough.Older people seem to have a greater desire to upgrade their education than anumber of young people, who drop out of school and don’t have the skills to get goodpaying jobs. The kids that have graduated from grade 12 and want to go on to collegeor university are now working for the government at wages between $11 and $17 anhour. We just can’t afford to pay them that kind of money when they come back to thecommunity.Other strategies include increasing salaries and benefits to compete with well-paying governmentemployment, better staff recognition, and increased staff responsibility. Bill states, “Withbetter profits, we plan to start paying better salaries. For reliable and loyal staff, we will try toaccommodate their requests for holidays and sometimes may help pay their airfare.”Bill describes a new policy. “We are trying to let people know that they are doing a good jobby presenting awards at our annual meeting. ACL is encouraging all co-ops to recognize theirstaff in some manner.”Bill will hire anyone who can handle the job. This includes handicapped people and membersof the same family. All employees are treated equally and are given a chance to work throughany problems. Bill notes, “We try to work out difficulties but we keep that code in mind aboutthree times late or three times not to work without a reason are grounds for divorce betweenyou and your job.”~ 297