On Wed, 31 Aug 2016 03:26:00 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
> wrote:

>On Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at 5:36:43 PM UTC-4, wrote:
>> On Wed, 31 Aug 2016 07:07:39 +1000, Bruce >
>> wrote:
>>
>> >In article >, says...
>> >>
>> >> "Gary" > wrote in message ...
>> >> > Sqwertz wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> On Tue, 30 Aug 2016 11:11:57 -0600, graham wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> > On 8/30/2016 11:05 AM, Sqwertz wrote:
>> >> >> >> On Tue, 30 Aug 2016 07:24:31 -0300, wrote:
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >>> So do I, or rather the lack of it and having to endure eight stitches
>> >> >> >>> in my foot until I get them taken out next Friday.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> Unless there some sign of infection, save yourself the co-pay and take
>> >> >> >> the stitches out yourself.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> > Co-Pay? This is Canada! We don't have to worry about such things
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Well then save the doctor's time and let some treat somebody else who
>> >> >> needs it more. I bet you have a lot of hypocondriacs in Canada ;-)
>> >> >
>> >> > Hell yeah.... have "free" insurance and everyone runs to the doctor for
>> >> > every little sniffle. This is why insurance costs so much.
>> >>
>> >> Yep, there are very few uninsured hypochondriacs, on the other hand it's
>> >> pretty amazing how the body heals itself in many cases when one is
>> >> uninsured.
>> >
>> >Every civilised country should have free healthcare, public transport
>> >and beer. Few do.
>>
>> Definitely free healthcare, that's a sacred cow in Canada and
>> politicians try to monkey with it at their peril, but I also feel
>> guaranteed pensions are good too. Seems now all the major
>> corporations are trying to do away with them, not fair, another way
>> the 1% see to grab more for themselves.
>
>How would small companies (I work for one with fewer than 50 employees)
>manage defined-benefit pensions? We've got a 401K, but they stopped
>matching funds about 25 years ago so all I've got is what I put in
>(and market returns, of course). My husband does better; he's worked
>for somewhat larger companies and he's always had a 2% - 4% match.
>
>Cindy Hamilton

Clearly small companies can't compete in that area, but the Post
Office is a big corporation, and they are just one of that ilk. I
think the biggies have squeezed the ordinary population for all they
were worth and now they look at the potential pensions and think why
not, there is more money for our bottom line there.

Back in the early 70s I had a big fight with the corporation I worked
for when I found that I was putting in $10 per monthly pay cheque for
my pension and they contributed $2.50 but FOR A MAN they were
contributing $5, even though his job was not as responsible as mine!
What made it worse, the union supported that and seemingly did not
understand my objections. Both corp. and union said that was because
it was different for women, they had husbands!!

Nowadays I think they want to ditch pensions, increase their bottom
line and to hell with employees. The sad part is that young people
can't look into the future and see themselves at 65 and during the
years there are kids to pay for etc it is very tough to find extra to
put away. When it was a deduction, it was easier.

I know my views are often considered as socialist but so be it.