ED Message

Good day all !

Here we are again in the deep of another summer tourism season. Some would agree that although we have not yet felt any great signs of the supposed to be warmer season, nonetheless, most have undertaken the dutiful task of getting thing ready for the arrival of the many visitors...or so we hope.

Some of you have surely heard my voice on the various radio stations or took the time to read an article or two about how the 2011 summer season is shaping up to be. "Cautiously optimistic" is a new statement I learned a couple years ago and I truly believe it is fitting for the occasion. As tourism operators, there are many variances on where to base our predictions. Some are relying on a scientific approach, while others are merely putting their ear to the ground and waiting for the thumping footsteps of the vacationers heading their ways. Regardless of the method used, we as an industry have to be prepared and keep the pressure on in attracting as many guests as possible that will make the till ring!


In preparing, you have refreshed that paint on the window sill that needed it; you have dusted the welcome mat at the front door and restocked to make sure you won't run out of eggs, while the guests leave you the bacon! A yearly task, but one everybody takes pride in accomplishing in the greatest of details.

Now let's go down the "To Do List"; Paint - checked, door mat - checked, stockroom - checked, hiring and training of staff - hum! Looking at the budget - double hum! Settling a few food bills- triple hum! You now set your reading glasses down and come to realization that although your reservation books show relatively the same as last year, your profit margin is again going to shrink! The proverbial passion over economic wealth of being a tourism operator is now a reality and you ask yourself, how much longer will you be able hold on?

As a great employer, you've always taken pride in compensating your most valuable asset by paying more than minimum wage. In addition to having 3 long standing employees, you provide gainful employment to others in your community, because it is the right thing to do and let's face it, you need the help. So you have 5 employees on staff, 3 at $15.00 per hour and 2 at $10.00 per hour. You pay them weekly for 37.5 hours. To add up your employer's contributions and your weekly wage expense is $2,550.14. News resonates through the media that minimum wage in NB has just gone up and is scheduled to go up again on September 1st. Of course, your newly hired staff knocks on your door and requests a meeting to discuss compensation increases where you finally agree to $12.00/hr so your weekly wage expense has just increased by $157.44. Not far behind, is your $15.00/hr employee and since you agreed to a $2.00 increase for the others, you feel compelled to do the same here, so again your weekly wage expense has taken another jump of 236.28. So you now clear of the wage negotiations, but you had initially budgeted $2550.14 per week and now you are short in your budget by $393.72 every week, for the season (5 months) which equals $8530.60. This is the new "ghost" position a government decision has just created for you at $10.50/hr!

At TIANB we are committed to minimizing the negative impact of this anti-poverty initiative. TIANB is firmly committed to reducing poverty in the province however, to create a model where less people will be hired is not an effective initiative. We need your support to make sure our voices are heard. Talk to your local MLA this summer and tell them about TIANB and our efforts to enhance job creation in the province and encourage them to contact me for a more in-depth discussion about this and the other issues that effect our industry.

In closing, I would like to reiterate the rallying call to you all, let's work together, let's build together and let's benefit together! Don't delay, give us a call- 1-800-668-5313 or 506-458-5646, visit our website www.tianb.com. We look forward to working with you all.


Have a great summer season,
Réal Robichaud, Executive Director
TIANB/AITNB