The wonderful world of EI

I’m pissed off about EI because there are too many people taking advantage of the system.

I was hanging out in the Keg Room. It’s the pub me and my girlfriend go to.

We started talking with a couple of regular guys. One is on EI. He brings in $400 a week. I’m not sure how true this is. I never saw a cheque of anything, but let’s take his word for it.

He gets such a high EI because his seasonal work pays really well. When he is working his standard of living is high so he gets a larger payday.

Here’s what gets my lice a jumpin’:
1) Why can he stay on EI all winter until he works again in the spring?
2)Why does one person get more than another?
3)How can he justify spending the money on what he does?
4)Why the hell am I not doing this?

Number one. He said he can stay on it all winter because he paid so much into EI during the summer. He feels he deserves it.

I have been paying into EI for the past 10 years, and have no plans on dipping into the fund.

I believe the money was for helping needy people who can’t work because of illness or injury. I thought it was for people who can’t find work. I thought it was for people in desperate need, not those who don’t want to work in the winter.

There are a lot of jobs out there. It isn’t too hard to find one. I had three jobs in two weeks of looking. Those three jobs were in a specific field.

I also know a lot of people don’t want to grab a job in low-paying job, but sometimes you have to suck up the pride and do it.

This guy feels fine taking the money. Even though he is healthy and fit to work. He’d still rather take the lazy way out.

Number 2. Equality. Why should sitting on your ass pay more to one person than someone else?

I know some people have bills to pay. They have families to feed, but why should a wealthier person with some bad luck make more than a poor person down on his luck?

It should be the same. Like I said their are lots of jobs.

Take the crap job until something better comes along. Do what you have to to keep that $200,000 house and the two cars in the drive way.

There should be a bonus for extra mouths to feed, but not for material possessions. That’s crap.

Number three. He’s using his EI cheque to get loaded every weekend. I’ve been there once a week for the past month. Usually on Friday because of a 2-for-1 special.

He is always there. He even bragged about winning the jug drinking contest last weekend. It spanned three days. He said he drank 72 mini pitchers. I’m not sure how much each one cost, but that’s a hell of a lot.

I have to budget my party money. I have rent and phone and electric and car and insurance and student loan and visa to pay.

He seems to only have the tab to pay. What the hell is up with that?

Number four. I haven’t had more than four days off in three years. Not since the summer of 2002.

It’s about time for a break. I just need to find a seasonal job or somewhere I can get laid off.

I’ve put a lot of money into EI, so maybe it’s time I take some back.

It’s not like my EI contributions are going to the people who need it. It’s going to those who are just too damn lazy to work for it.

It’s time for me to go get loaded all weekend. It’s time for me to take a break. I’m tired of 40-hour work weeks. I’m sick of contributing to society so we can have a better world to live in.

It’s time for a revolt, or at least an expensive government inquiry into the whole EI system. You know one of those $1 million projects the government is always doing. Hell that would even create some more jobs for all the people on EI.

I just hope they’re not to lazy to get off their asses and do it.