On Sat, 25 Sep 1999, Ray E. Harrell wrote:
> It all sounds to me like a bunch of Easter Islanders arguing over the
> value of a statue while the wood diminishes.
>
> REH
>
> Christoph Reuss wrote:
>
> > Franklin Wayne Poley asked:
> > > Two questions: (1) In Switzerland do workfare recipients have as much
> > > choice in their workfare situations as other people have in selecting
> > > pre-employment, education or employment?
> >
> > No, but I think this applies to all countries... Basically, they can
> > select the work together with their advisor, who of course will take
> > their individual abilities, preferences and possibilities into account.
> >
> > > (2) What is the GDP contribution
> > > of those welfare recipients before and after workfare? (ie the volunteer
> > > work done before workfare may exceed the forced work done after workfare).
> >
> > I would estimate their GDP contribution is below 0.1%.
Well, being slightly smarter than the Easter Bunny I figure that the GDP
contribution of those on welfare doing homemaker/childcare work in their
own homes is far, far greater than 0.1%.
FWP.
But as we all know,
> > the GDP is an inappropriate metric for these kinds of work, which are of
> > little economical value but of significant social and environmental value.
> > (Also, these activities must not compete with commercial services.) This is
> > a good opportunity (esp. for NGOs) to get things done that couldn't be done
> > with 'regular' jobs, e.g. guarded bike parkings, free bike rentals, recycling
> > of various stuff, restoring old buildings, cleaning up the environment, etc.
> > One new service that my program introduced is a free E-bicycle courier for
> > shoppers, so mothers and the elderly can go shopping without a car and
> > without carrying heavy loads.
> >
> > Victor Milne calculated:
> > > If a workfare participant works 8
> > > hours each working day (22 workdays in the average month) for his welfare
> > > benefit of $520 a month, then he is being paid $2.95 an hour.
> >
> > Over here, the 'wage' is about 2-3 times higher. Considering that the
> > workfare work is very easy work that can't be compared with the stressing
> > work in private companies, and that it basically helps the candidates to
> > maintain a regular activity (and possibly to find a 'real' job), I think
> > this wage isn't too bad...
> >
> > Chris
>
>
>
>
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