Friday, March 25, 2005
New plates help animals
EDITOR:
I was ecstatic to read that Ohio now has pet license plates. Any reader who would like to get one can log on to www.pets-ohio.com for information or contact a local registrar's office. They give $15 to a pet fund that will help with spay and neutering throughout Ohio.
This is something that is much needed everywhere, with hundreds and thousands of unwanted animals dying in our pounds and shelters daily. This can help with some of the senseless killings that are ignored by many. People think if they don't see it or talk about it just isn't happening, but it is and in abundant numbers. These animals don't ask to be born and deserve much better than living on the streets as strays and then picked up by pounds or shelters only for their lives to be cut short due to human ignorance. It's time we the people educated ourselves and realize there is a solution to this problem. Spay and neuter.
Please support these new license plates and thank your state representatives who made it all happen. It's time every animal born can live a happy, healthy life with a family to call their own.
ARLIA D. SLAINA
Youngstown
Overtime has hidden costs
EDITOR:
A recent article in The Vindicator highlighted overtime pay for a number of city and county workers. Although this may appear to be out of the norm, statistics show it to be on the rise. On average, American workers put in almost an extra day of work per week in overtime last year. Other than the obvious cost, extra pay being paid out, it is actually costing the employer money in other areas.
Absenteeism, turnover rates and more than double the worker's compensation claims. These findings were detailed in Shiftwork Practices 2005, an annual report put out by a Lexington, Mass.-based research and consulting firm.
Economy reports suggesting a rebound and increase demand for products and services which should have sparked an increase in employment, failed to do so. Employers relied more on pushing their existing work force to produce more and work longer. Overtime increased to an average rate of 16.2 percent (6.5 hours per week) for the year, up from the 2003 overtime rate of 12.6 percent.
The results:
Absenteeism up from an average 5.8 percent in 2003 to 12.4 percent in 2004. Facilities with a high overtime rate had a 17 percent absenteeism rate, while those with a low overtime rate, reported a 9 percent absenteeism rate.
Turnover rate was reported to be 11 percent in high overtime facilities, compared to 8 percent in low overtime facilities.
Workers compensation claims nearly doubled in the high overtime facilities. Workers compensation claims were more than $600 per employee at the high overtime facilities, compared to an average of $300 per employee at the low overtime facilities.
When you add up all the cost associated with absenteeism, turnover, workers compensation claims, all resulting from pushing the work force too hard. It is obvious that it is cheaper for the employer to hire more workers, and better for the economy.
JOHN P. LESEGANICH
CPEA Safety and Health Consultant
Canfield
Two reasons to be angry
EDITOR:
I felt compelled to vent my anger toward our so-called government and our military after reading two stories in the March 12 paper. The first story is the one reporting that the U.S. Army feels that they should be making "sympathy payments" to the Iraqi people for alleged harm done to their cars, cows, themselves, etc. These are taxpayer funds, are they not? They should be paying us for their so-called "liberation."
The other story that I have a big problem with is that our Congress is contemplating cutting funds to help feed our own poor people. This is from the "fat cats" who get fed at numerous luncheons, dinners and whatever at taxpayers' expense. Maybe this is another clever way for Uncle Sam to get those "obese poor people" to slim down. Let us start practicing charity at home. We give millions to every tragedy and disaster in the world, but we penalize our poor. Is this right?
WILLIAM "BILL" TOOHEY Sr.
Youngstown