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I had to learn that just because I could check my email at 2000, didn't mean I had to check my email at 2000.
Public service employment has grown by 31 per cent
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daftandbarmy
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More good news about the national 'overhead'... 
“At a time when governments across Canada are facing serious fiscal pressures as a result of the recession, bringing government sector compensation in line with the private sector would help reduce costs without necessarily affecting services,” said Ben Eisen, a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute.
The study, Comparing Government and Private Sector Compensation in Canada, 2023 Edition, finds that government employees across
Canada—including federal, provincial and municipal workers—were paid 31.3 per cent higher wages, on average, than workers in the private sector in 2021, the most recent year of available comparable data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey.
Even after adjusting for differences such as age, gender, education, tenure, type of work, industry, and occupation, government employees are still paid 8.5 per cent higher wages.
But wages are only part of overall compensation. Government workers across Canada enjoy much more generous non-wage benefits, too.
• Pensions: In 2021, 86.6 per cent of public-sector workers were covered by a registered pension plan compared to only 22.9 per cent in the private sector. Of those covered, almost all government workers (90.6 per cent) enjoyed defined-benefit pensions, which offer a guaranteed level of income and benefits in retirement, compared to 39.9 per cent among private sector workers.
• Early retirement: Public-sector workers retired 2.4 years earlier, on average, than the country’s private-sector workers.
• Personal leave: Government workers were absent from their jobs for personal reasons more often than private sector workers—14.9 days compared to 9.8 days.
• Job security: In 2021, public-sector employees were approximately five times less likely to experience job loss than private-sector workers—1.0 per cent compared to 4.8 per cent.
“All levels of government in Canada—municipal, provincial and federal—must find ways to reduce costs following the unprecedented spending and borrowing we’ve seen recently,” Eisen said.
“Closing the compensation gap between the government and private sectors would reduce costs and help governments move towards balancing their budgets.”
www.globenewswire.com
Fraser Institute News Release: Government workers across Canada receive 8.5% higher wages, on average, than comparable private-sector workers
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The wage premium and more generous benefits that government workers in Canada enjoy over their private-sector counterparts is one area governments could look to reduce costs following the recession, finds a new study published by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
“At a time when governments across Canada are facing serious fiscal pressures as a result of the recession, bringing government sector compensation in line with the private sector would help reduce costs without necessarily affecting services,” said Ben Eisen, a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute.
The study, Comparing Government and Private Sector Compensation in Canada, 2023 Edition, finds that government employees across
Canada—including federal, provincial and municipal workers—were paid 31.3 per cent higher wages, on average, than workers in the private sector in 2021, the most recent year of available comparable data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey.
Even after adjusting for differences such as age, gender, education, tenure, type of work, industry, and occupation, government employees are still paid 8.5 per cent higher wages.
But wages are only part of overall compensation. Government workers across Canada enjoy much more generous non-wage benefits, too.
• Pensions: In 2021, 86.6 per cent of public-sector workers were covered by a registered pension plan compared to only 22.9 per cent in the private sector. Of those covered, almost all government workers (90.6 per cent) enjoyed defined-benefit pensions, which offer a guaranteed level of income and benefits in retirement, compared to 39.9 per cent among private sector workers.
• Early retirement: Public-sector workers retired 2.4 years earlier, on average, than the country’s private-sector workers.
• Personal leave: Government workers were absent from their jobs for personal reasons more often than private sector workers—14.9 days compared to 9.8 days.
• Job security: In 2021, public-sector employees were approximately five times less likely to experience job loss than private-sector workers—1.0 per cent compared to 4.8 per cent.
“All levels of government in Canada—municipal, provincial and federal—must find ways to reduce costs following the unprecedented spending and borrowing we’ve seen recently,” Eisen said.
“Closing the compensation gap between the government and private sectors would reduce costs and help governments move towards balancing their budgets.”
Fraser Institute News Release: Government workers across Canada receive 8.5% higher wages, on average, than comparable private-sector workers
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The wage premium and more generous benefits that government workers in Canada enjoy over...
Halifax Tar
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More good news about the national 'overhead'...
Fraser Institute News Release: Government workers across Canada receive 8.5% higher wages, on average, than comparable private-sector workers
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The wage premium and more generous benefits that government workers in Canada enjoy over their private-sector counterparts is one area governments could look to reduce costs following the recession, finds a new study published by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
“At a time when governments across Canada are facing serious fiscal pressures as a result of the recession, bringing government sector compensation in line with the private sector would help reduce costs without necessarily affecting services,” said Ben Eisen, a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute.
The study, Comparing Government and Private Sector Compensation in Canada, 2023 Edition, finds that government employees across
Canada—including federal, provincial and municipal workers—were paid 31.3 per cent higher wages, on average, than workers in the private sector in 2021, the most recent year of available comparable data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey.
Even after adjusting for differences such as age, gender, education, tenure, type of work, industry, and occupation, government employees are still paid 8.5 per cent higher wages.
But wages are only part of overall compensation. Government workers across Canada enjoy much more generous non-wage benefits, too.
• Pensions: In 2021, 86.6 per cent of public-sector workers were covered by a registered pension plan compared to only 22.9 per cent in the private sector. Of those covered, almost all government workers (90.6 per cent) enjoyed defined-benefit pensions, which offer a guaranteed level of income and benefits in retirement, compared to 39.9 per cent among private sector workers.
• Early retirement: Public-sector workers retired 2.4 years earlier, on average, than the country’s private-sector workers.
• Personal leave: Government workers were absent from their jobs for personal reasons more often than private sector workers—14.9 days compared to 9.8 days.
• Job security: In 2021, public-sector employees were approximately five times less likely to experience job loss than private-sector workers—1.0 per cent compared to 4.8 per cent.
“All levels of government in Canada—municipal, provincial and federal—must find ways to reduce costs following the unprecedented spending and borrowing we’ve seen recently,” Eisen said.
“Closing the compensation gap between the government and private sectors would reduce costs and help governments move towards balancing their budgets.”
Fraser Institute News Release: Government workers across Canada receive 8.5% higher wages, on average, than comparable private-sector workers
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The wage premium and more generous benefits that government workers in Canada enjoy over...
Part of closing the gap between Gov and Private sector wages and benefits could also be the private sector paying its people more and providing more benefits.
Brad Sallows
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Raising
So obviously, it makes sense that public service employees are compensated exactly correctly.
That would make sense if the private sector is under-compensated relative to its productivity. Of course, the private sector is subject to the workings of mostly free market conditions and can't simply tax and borrow to satisfy demands in order to end strikes that are inconvenient for politicians who want to be re-elected, particularly of political parties that are essentially symbiotic with organized labour at the expense of taxpayers.
So obviously, it makes sense that public service employees are compensated exactly correctly.
Colin Parkinson
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As I said before, the PS pays clerical staff and such very well, better than private. On the flip side, it pays technical and staff with certification, less than private firms do. Generally as the Regulator on the big projects I reviewed, I was the least paid person in the room, but was also the decision maker at the end of the day.
QV
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More good news about the national 'overhead'...
Fraser Institute News Release: Government workers across Canada receive 8.5% higher wages, on average, than comparable private-sector workers
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The wage premium and more generous benefits that government workers in Canada enjoy over their private-sector counterparts is one area governments could look to reduce costs following the recession, finds a new study published by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
“At a time when governments across Canada are facing serious fiscal pressures as a result of the recession, bringing government sector compensation in line with the private sector would help reduce costs without necessarily affecting services,” said Ben Eisen, a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute.
The study, Comparing Government and Private Sector Compensation in Canada, 2023 Edition, finds that government employees across
Canada—including federal, provincial and municipal workers—were paid 31.3 per cent higher wages, on average, than workers in the private sector in 2021, the most recent year of available comparable data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey.
Even after adjusting for differences such as age, gender, education, tenure, type of work, industry, and occupation, government employees are still paid 8.5 per cent higher wages.
But wages are only part of overall compensation. Government workers across Canada enjoy much more generous non-wage benefits, too.
• Pensions: In 2021, 86.6 per cent of public-sector workers were covered by a registered pension plan compared to only 22.9 per cent in the private sector. Of those covered, almost all government workers (90.6 per cent) enjoyed defined-benefit pensions, which offer a guaranteed level of income and benefits in retirement, compared to 39.9 per cent among private sector workers.
• Early retirement: Public-sector workers retired 2.4 years earlier, on average, than the country’s private-sector workers.
• Personal leave: Government workers were absent from their jobs for personal reasons more often than private sector workers—14.9 days compared to 9.8 days.
• Job security: In 2021, public-sector employees were approximately five times less likely to experience job loss than private-sector workers—1.0 per cent compared to 4.8 per cent.
“All levels of government in Canada—municipal, provincial and federal—must find ways to reduce costs following the unprecedented spending and borrowing we’ve seen recently,” Eisen said.
“Closing the compensation gap between the government and private sectors would reduce costs and help governments move towards balancing their budgets.”
Fraser Institute News Release: Government workers across Canada receive 8.5% higher wages, on average, than comparable private-sector workers
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The wage premium and more generous benefits that government workers in Canada enjoy over...
A lot of discussion about the cost of the PS lately. The GoC must be prepping the field for PS cuts.
QV
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That's been my observation also.
Halifax Tar
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I don't know, I see corporations pulling in big profits, and paying very little in taxes. Maybe they could pass some of that on to the front line folks that are making them the profits.
I remember when the RCAF couldn't keep technical folks because Air Canada, example, would scoop them up quick. Its happening tight now to the Naval Technical occupations.
This isn’t a surprise. Cuts will come. It won’t matter which Gvt is in power. It will start with a hiring freeze then a study on efficiencies.
Then cuts using various methods. Won’t happen until after the next election I think.
To be honest I don’t trust the CPC to get it right. An LPC minority will need to put thought into it if propped up by the NDP. But even then I don’t trust they get it right either…
Halifax Tar
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What would equate to getting it right ?
It would need to be a deep dive that would take much longer than an election cycle to do. When the CPC did DRAP we ended up with the Phoenix Fiasco, SSC and staffing issues in key areas.
When Liberals did cuts way back when we got FRP, early retirement packages and people rehired as contractors. The effects of which are still being felt.
I’m not a change manager by any means but history has shown how not to do it.
Brad Sallows
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Corporations pay taxes on profits. If they aren't paying taxes, it's because the money you think is profits is actually either not profits or is subject to some sort of tax break.
If the forces can't hold technical people, it could start with contracts that bind people who receive training to longer terms of obligatory service, with an (expensive) buyout provision for people who want to move on. Then the corporations doing the hiring could decide whether to offer signing bonuses to compensate employees for the buyout. The buyout should be set high enough to cover the forces' cost of recruiting and training a replacement. This might deter a lot of people who are thinking about joining and jumping; that's a feature - might as well not have them in the first place.
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Holy moley...
Public workers demanded too much, given too much
PSAC members not only were paid full salary during the pandemic but also added two more years to their generous pension benefits.
PSAC was determined to increase that public/private compensation disparity with wage increases of 4.5 per cent in each of the next three years. But even that wasn’t enough for the 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency workers who remained on strike demanding a staggering 7.5 per cent per year. I guess that was to compensate them for “taxing” their brains pushing the keys on an almost fully automated tax return system.
No wonder Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre observed during Question Period that “It’s one thing to increase the size and cost of the public service … and another thing to be faced with a massive strike by public servants … but it is an especially incredible achievement of incompetence to do both of those at the same time.”
Normally, PSAC’s excessive demands would have been tempered by the possibility of back-to-work legislation, but the NDP’s support of PSAC’s demands made the chances of that virtually nil. That put the Trudeau government between the proverbial rock and a hard place: either leave government services that people count on shut down or agree to a settlement that adds many more billions to already perilously dangerous deficit spending.
In the end, the union’s demands were met, but dressed up in different clothes. Rather than the 13.5 per cent over three years, settled for a nominal 11.5 per cent over four years, but retroactive to 2021 and added a 0.5 per cent special adjustment for 2023.
Comment: Public workers demanded too much, given too much
PSAC members not only were paid full salary during the pandemic but also added two more years to their generous pension benefits.www.timescolonist.com
The change of Government, when it happens, is not going to be kind to the Public Service.
The issue is that Government wages and labour force are fundamentally disconnected from actual market forces.
Many Government jobs are going to be replaced by AI anyways. Those CRA/PSAC term employees that were complaining about lay offs up above are a classic example of a job that will be replaced by AI in the near future.
A lot of Government jobs involve administration & bean counting. These jobs are all going to be crushed by AI. AI can do it better and it can do it faster.
QV
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Agreed.
Halifax Tar
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I think AI will decimate the private sector first. You are already seeing it, self checks are a good example. Self driving big rig trucks, ect ect.
But you're right, AI will be replacing most of the work force in the coming years. This is where Universal Basic Income comes into the conversation.
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It already is. The workforce at the Company I work at is 1/5 the size it used to be and we move more volume than we ever have.
We also heavily leverage data for decision-making. The amount of data at my disposal would blow your mind.
The overwhelming # of people we do still employ are in skilled trades. Skilled trades will be the last to be impacted because the fine motor skills required can't be replicated by robots as cheaply.... yet.
Given how fast government embraces new tech that should be in 50 years or so lol
Colin Parkinson
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Work force Adjustment was a cluster F**K under the CPC, mind you I have seen layoff Cluster F**Ks under the Liberals as well. The biggest problem is that the useless types who add little value are very good at dodging the axe, it's always the frontliners that get cut, because they are to busy with real work. It's needs to be a gradual thing and positions and people identified as not adding value. I start by forcing Ex's to have to share admin staff and take on some admin of their own, then they know the real pain of their "workforce processes".
QV
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The frontliners suffer because the people that decide where the cuts will be won't be cutting themselves or their immediate surroundings.
The civ equivalent of HQs are bloated, but that is where the decisions are made.
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