What is middle class in Calgary?

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Baby boomers are nothing if not selfish.

I said what I said.

I'm very curious what will happen as political power moves away from the boomers. Millenials either outnumber them now or will within a year, and I don't think Gen X has much sympathy for boomer political priorities based on getting their leftovers for the last few decades.

[nik-]

The boomers were the hippies. People tend to get more conservative and greedy as they get older.

[troutman]

What if we could take a sabbatical from 45 to 60 and go back to work at 60? Have your travel adventures while you are younger.

[nik-]

You can have travel adventures when you're younger. You just can't do it for months at a time.

[Wormius]

I am not sure how a 15 year sabbatical would be practical. Funding being one thing, but being out of industry for 15 years, you might not be qualified for a very good job when you get back.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

One thing that bugs me and always kind of has with those people that don’t retire because they don’t want to be bored (but can easily afford it), is like, man, you’re filling a role that someone else could potentially need (or the upward mobility that frees a spot on the bottom rung).

Great that you get to keep your mind busy, but you can find other things to keep your mind busy. Meanwhile it really is difficult for young people to get into a decent career and get a solid income that you could start a family.

You’ve worked 40 years... give someone else a chance to make a life. Comes across as just a little selfish.

This post reeks of entitlement to me.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

One thing that bugs me and always kind of has with those people that don’t retire because they don’t want to be bored (but can easily afford it), is like, man, you’re filling a role that someone else could potentially need (or the upward mobility that frees a spot on the bottom rung).

Great that you get to keep your mind busy, but you can find other things to keep your mind busy. Meanwhile it really is difficult for young people to get into a decent career and get a solid income that you could start a family.

You’ve worked 40 years... give someone else a chance to make a life. Comes across as just a little selfish.

That’s more of a union issue IMO. Most companies will encourage 60+ year old employees with packages seeing a lot of them aren’t as productive at that age due to medical and motivational issues. In my field of work most people still working over 65 are because of their valuable expertise. If you are 65 and dead weight most companies will push you out the door but that’s difficult in unionized workplaces. For example there are plenty of 60+ old teachers out there that don’t want to work anymore but want the pay. Ironically those teachers helped my wife get her foot in the door substituting for semesters or full years.

[driveway]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

For example there are plenty of 60+ old teachers out there that don’t want to work anymore but want the pay. Ironically those teachers helped my wife get her foot in the door substituting for semesters or full years.

Not Canada wide numbers, but Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan reports that average age for retirment of teachers in Ontario is 58.

https://lfpress.com/2016/07/08/no-ma...a-e87568321d0e

Craig Smith, president of the local unit of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, says there is no reason to force a teacher who enjoys the job to retire, but working past 65 is #unusual.

Figures from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan back him up. The average retirement age for teachers in Ontario is 58 and the average starting pension is $45,000 a year.

London District Catholic school board has 123 employees over 65 but board officials say only about a dozen are permanent, full-time classroom teachers.

[CliffFletcher]

The work ethic of Boomer is admirable. But we're entering an era of surplus labour, where regular work will be increasingly scarce. Taking up a paying job that can be performed by someone who needs to work just because you like to keep busy and you don't have any hobbies is bad for society.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The work ethic of Boomer is admirable. But we're entering an era of surplus labour, where regular work will be increasingly scarce. Taking up a paying job that can be performed by someone who needs to work just because you like to keep busy and you don't have any hobbies is bad for society.

This is the thing though, I can see the argument of people hanging around too long, the teacher example in my own experience is a good one because a lot of them can start collecting that pension and then keep working, which keeps young teachers out of the game which is bad on a lot of fronts not the least of which is funding the pension plan.

That being said though, while I agree that its bad for society and our economy to have retirees (Boomers) hanging around too long and tying up jobs preventing middle-age workers to move up and opening opportunities for new workers thats not really their problem, they're not personally obligated to 'take one for the team' and Boomers have not exactly historically been notorious for their altruism.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by driveway

Not Canada wide numbers, but Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan reports that average age for retirment of teachers in Ontario is 58.

https://lfpress.com/2016/07/08/no-ma...a-e87568321d0e

You are a union guy aren't you? Average means that there are people over and under it right and that me saying "plenty" doesn't equate to me saying "all of them".

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The work ethic of Boomer is admirable. But we're entering an era of surplus labour, where regular work will be increasingly scarce. Taking up a paying job that can be performed by someone who needs to work just because you like to keep busy and you don't have any hobbies is bad for society.

The great thing about western civilization is that you have freedom. You can choose to never work and live homeless or you can choose to work to the very end. Can you take that away the right of someone to work if they choose to do so from a person because of their age? It's a slippery slope.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

You are a union guy aren't you?

What does that have to do with anything?

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The great thing about western civilization is that you have freedom. You can choose to never work and live homeless or you can choose to work to the very end. Can you take that away the right of someone to work if they choose to do so from a person because of their age? It's a slippery slope.

Soylent Green.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Baby boomers are nothing if not selfish.

I said what I said.

While I don't disagree, if you're a millennial this post is hilarious.

Ya I said that too.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The work ethic of Boomer is admirable. But we're entering an era of surplus labour, where regular work will be increasingly scarce. Taking up a paying job that can be performed by someone who needs to work just because you like to keep busy and you don't have any hobbies is bad for society.

I would think forced retirement is likely worse. 65 as a retirement age made sense a generation or so ago but is now basically an arbitrary number. Why not work until 70 if you are motivated and good at your job? Is that person really taking a job away from a recent grad? Doubtful.

[nik-]

There's a difference between selfish and having to keep working because you didn't properly plan for retirement. Way too many boomers are in the latter category.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by nik-

There's a difference between selfish and having to keep working because you didn't properly plan for retirement. Way too many boomers are in the latter category.

I suppose, but which is worse? What is the fix for either?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

I suppose, but which is worse? What is the fix for either?

A drug that makes people drop dead at 55?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Baby boomers are nothing if not selfish.

I said what I said.

I'm a boomer and think your generation is entitled.

I said what I said.