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29 Jan 08

Creating better McJobs gives food for thought (Toronto Star)

Suggestion by Richard Florida: that we need to figure out how to make "McJobs" have dignity (and wages that one can live on); for several reasons: service is biggest job growth sector; service allows flexibility for "creatives" to work in one industry (for pay) while pursuing their vocation (where pay is unstable or minimal). In other words, if service sector jobs have more dignity and better wages and more respect, and are seen as a viable alternative (short-term, long-term) for employment, they can contribute to a climate of creativity, too.

www.thestar.com/...297807 - Preview

employment mcjobs richard_florida service_sector service_summit toronto

Appearing before the city's economic development committee to discuss its Agenda for Prosperity, released earlier this month, Florida challenged the common thinking that counter work in franchise outlets is somehow worthless.
Florida – director of the Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management – said this city could become a leader in rethinking the role of jobs in the hospitality, food and business services sectors.
In fact, he said, government, business, labour and academic leaders should consider holding a "service summit" to map just such a plan.
"The service economy has to be a centrepiece of our strategy going forward," he said, because so many service jobs are being created.
"Why not say, from a research and development standpoint, from an innovation standpoint, from a job security standpoint, from a flexible work environment standpoint: How do we make our service sector thrive?
"Why can't we do for those jobs what we did for my father's job in a factory?" he asked. "Why can't we make those service jobs good, high-paying, secure jobs?
2 more annotations...
- "I think digging into the service economy – figuring out how to bolster it, make it more secure, make it more innovative, make it more creative, would be a huge thing that we could do."
- Florida said one advantage of service jobs is flexibility. At their best, they can allow workers to make an adequate living while pursuing other interests.