Wheat Board cutting staff by 20%

[Ipberg]

<b>

Wheat board to cut staff by 20%
</b>

By TERRY WEBER
Globe and Mail Update
<a href=http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040127.wcwb0127/BNStory/Business/ >link</a>
POSTED AT 2:00 PM EST Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004

The Canadian Wheat Board is slashing its work force by about 20 per cent as part of a restructuring effort to meet what it says are the “new realities” of an intensely competitive international grain trade.

The Winnipeg-based CWB made the announcement Tuesday following an eight-month corporate review, which will result in all services to farmers and related activities grouped into a single area.

The cuts will amount to about 135 positions, with the job reductions scheduled to be completed by July.

“As a commercial marketing organization, the CWB must operate in a way that reflects the new realities of the international grain trade,” CWB president and chief executive officer Adrian Measner said.

“We've moved into an era of intense competition, as opposed to reliance on a few large, loyal customers. Our farmer stakeholders are under severe financial pressure and need to extract maximum value from the marketplace.”

The review was launched last April, just months after Mr. Measner was appointed to his current position.

The Canadian Wheat Board is a farmer-controlled organization that markets wheat and barley grown by western Canadian producers under a government-granted monopoly.

Last year, Ottawa was called in to cover $85.4-million to cover losses by the Canadian Wheat Board in the face of a number of extraordinary factors including drought-reduced crops, market-share gains by countries like Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan and the surge in the Canadian dollar.

In Tuesday's announcement, the CWB said the staffing reductions would come from a combination of a hiring freeze, outsourcing and terminations.

At full staff, the CWB employs 584 people at its headquarters in Winnipeg, farm business offices in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Airdrie, Alta. -- including 15 farm business reps who live and work in communities across the Prairies -- a logistics office in Vancouver, and international sales offices in Beijing and Tokyo.

[Jason Kauppinen]

80% too little. All 584 people should be let go immediately.

[Ipberg]

This is probably meant to assuage Board critics who were shocked to discover the Wheat Board was cancelling the latest interim payment to farmers becuase the previous payment was deemed to be overpayment. Nowhere is it mentined that the Board's budget is being reduced - a firm believer in the Board like Finance Minister Ralph Goodale would be loathe to do that anyways.

[styky]

100% dismissal is the only answer. But according to Ottawa we in the west are loth to understand that the fundamentals of the market and they must HELP us. NOT

[Sojourner]

Did I just dream this, or is it true:

The CWB monopoly applies only to the four Western provinces. Only Ontario farmers are free to market their own wheat.

I'm asking because I think I heard it, but it sounds like a nightmare to me.

[styky]

Did I just dream this, or is it true:

The CWB monopoly applies only to the four Western provinces. Only Ontario farmers are free to market their own wheat.

I'm asking because I think I heard it, but it sounds like a nightmare to me.

Thems the facts. The west is considered not competent enough to market our own wheat so we have the wheatboard

[Sojourner]

Wow.

If it wasn't true it would be unbelievable.

[Psycho]

Let me see if I have this correct:

The Kyoto Accord will not apply to the Ontario auto industry (Paul Martin is on record) but will be implemented no matter how much damage it does to the Alberta oil industry??

Farmers in Ontario can sell their wheat directly to the US but farmers were charged, convicted and thrown in jail last year for driving their wheat across the Alberta / US border???

Cutting 20% of the Wheat Board is about 80% too low. And while we are at it, how about equality for all Canadians???

I suspect that if the Liberals win the next Federal election, the Reform movement slogan of "The West wants in" will be replaced by a new political party stating "The West wants out".

[styky]

Let me see if I have this correct:

The Kyoto Accord will not apply to the Ontario auto industry (Paul Martin is on record) but will be implemented no matter how much damage it does to the Alberta oil industry??

Farmers in Ontario can sell their wheat directly to the US but farmers were charged, convicted and thrown in jail last year for driving their wheat across the Alberta / US border???

Cutting 20% of the Wheat Board is about 80% too low. And while we are at it, how about equality for all Canadians???

I suspect that if the Liberals win the next Federal election, the Reform movement slogan of "The West wants in" will be replaced by a new political party stating "The West wants out".

Now you're getting it. All the above is true.

[Vundo Draxon]

ack, the dreaded sidescroll... Ipberg, if you use a site like http://www.tinyurl.com or http://www.makeashorterlink.com you can compress the length of your link such that you don't cause the main page to go all wiggidy-wack.

[Vundo Draxon]

Thanks, Ipberg.

In regards to the staff cut, I think that this is a good first step. Only another 80% to go

[Sojourner]

Let me see if I have this correct:

The Kyoto Accord will not apply to the Ontario auto industry (Paul Martin is on record) but will be implemented no matter how much damage it does to the Alberta oil industry??

Farmers in Ontario can sell their wheat directly to the US but farmers were charged, convicted and thrown in jail last year for driving their wheat across the Alberta / US border???

Hmmmmmm. You know, something funny is going on here.

If I didn't know better, I'd say they're playing us for the stooge.

[the keepa]

But...but...but they call it a "farmer-controlled organization...a government-granted monopoly.." sounds almost like ..."of the people , for the people , by the people..." . Surely they wouldn't LIE . Would they ?