So,
I may be able to get in trouble for this, I don't know, but when has that stopped me before?
In Canada minimum wage is 10.25$, or 10.23$ American, according to the Bank of Canada.
Now, this is a reasonable minimum wage, assuming that the worker is given adequate hours, and that he is treated well by his Boss, and his workplace environment.
Apparently, however, this minimum does not apply to Students working as a Camp Counsellor: I cannot begin to understand why. In the very near future, I will be working for the [un-named camp place] of Canada, and I will be earning less than minimum wage, and this is legal. In a 40 hour work week, I will be earning 360$. This works out to 9$ an hour, but it gets better. At the [un-named camp place] (and the job hasn't started yet, so I may be jumping the gun, but I'll update you when I know for sure) the children to counsellor ratio ranges from 6 to 1, to 10 to 1 depending on the children. What is guaranteed by the Canadian government is one half hour break for every 5 hours of work: this break is to be uninterupted, and is free time for the employee. I am wondering how I am going to find free time when I am supervising 10 children? Is there going to be another supervisor? Will these breaks be offered in shifts? Or is my break meant to be the brief period that these children are not running in circles around me?
Anyways: beyond this, I see a few more issues, and I am begining to worry about whether the [un-named camp place] offers an exploitative work environment (again, I'll offer a more clear analysis when I've been working there for a while). I am going to work from 8:30 to 5:30, 5 days a week. 9 x 5 = 45 hours a week. If I work 45 hours a week, I am making slightly less that 8$ an hour. Furthermore: I am responsible for activities, planning, and other elements of work, outside of this alloted time. These tasks include calls to parents, designing a curriculum, and dressing up for themed days. All of this, to me, casts a lot of doubt on the nature of this job, but, and here is the kicker: its the best job offer I can get this summer.
Making 8$ an hour for 45 hours is the most money I'm going to make this summer, barring a miracle. Not to mention that experience as a camp counsellor looks great on applications to teacher college. So, I'm divided: this could be a great experience, or a horrible one. I'm looking forward to working in a situation that plays to my abilities and experience working with children, but I'm also worried this job is using me. If it is using me, God knows I'll be blogging about it, and using the name of the place too.
All this being said: what the hell Canada? If 10.25$ is our minimum wage, it needs to be the same across the board, or we need to stop mis-representing it as such. As far as I am concerned, our minimum wage is 9$, or less, if this job works out to be paying me less. And honestly, I'm kind of outraged that there is any kind of exception to the minimum wage: why do we have a minimum wage if there are going to be exceptions?
Oh well, c'est la vie.
Talk to you later internetz.
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