A showdown may be brewing between the Prince Edward Island government and its biggest public-sector union.
The Union of Public Sector Employees says it is expecting pay hikes for its members as UPSE goes into contract talks with the province.
Earlier this week, Premier Robert Ghiz ordered a freeze on the salaries of MLAs, deputy ministers and senior government staff for a period of two years.
He said it was the prudent thing to do considering the province has an $85-million deficit.
Ghiz then hinted he may be looking for concessions from public-sector unions.
"…What I am saying is that will be an example of some of the contracts that are in place," Ghiz said, speaking about the wage freeze he put in place.
"Our province has a deficit of around $85 million. The Consumer Price Index is at zero. If you look at what's happening in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, you can see a lot of freezes in place there. We want to make sure we get our fiscal house in order."
A legislative committee called the Indemnities and Allowances Commission recommended that salaries be frozen for the 2010-11 fiscal year for MLAs.
The premier's move pushed that freeze into the 2011-12 fiscal year and encompassed senior staff and deputy ministers as well as MLAs.
Shelley Ward, president of UPSE, said she expects negotiations between the province and her union to go as usual despite what
the premier has said publicly.
"We certainly will be expecting wage increases," Ward told The Guardian.
UPSE's health-care unit is currently in talks with the province. Its contract expires in March.
The latest update on UPSE's website says 16 items were agreed to but 19 remain outstanding and most of those 19 items
have to do with monetary issues.
Ward said the premier admitted in the P.E.I. legislature during the spring session that public servants on the Island are the lowest paid in Canada.
Union looks for pay raises
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Comments
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- Diane
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:37:46
So Ghiz is worried about the $85 million deficit is he, my common sense would tell me if I was that far in debt and wanted to get my fiscal house in order I wouldn't be spending $1,000,000 on the Olympics. If I was making upwards of $150,000 a year I would freeze my wages to. GIVE ME A BREAK, ghiz could care less about the debt, it's not his debt...it's our debt and he just keeps adding to it. HEY GHIZ If your going to spend money that we don't have at least spend it on our needs, food, heat, medicine, housing, schools, the list is not short.
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- JANE
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:36:57
THE PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES PAY UNION DUES THEY HELP THE WORKERS IF YOU PAYED DUES WOULD YOU WANT HELP WITH A PAY INCREASE NEGATIVE PEOPLE MAKE ME SICK SO IF YOU HAVE NOTHING NICE TO SAY SAY NOTHING WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TO KEEP THINGS GOING LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE WHO REALLY CARES IF YOU CAN DO A BETTER JOB THAN MR GHIZ WHY WERE YOU NOT VOTED IN THE PREMIER OF PEI SO MAYBE INSTEAD OF GROWLING GO GET A PUBLIC SECTOR JOB
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- CUPE UPSE exempt
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:36:56
Why should public sector employees be exempt from economic hardship during a downturn? Everyone else is hurting, but government has the power to tax or go into debt to fund its employees. Yeah, it's tough, but my income and hours are down. We're not asking for a Callbeck-type rollback, just some reality. YOUR wages are paid by EVERYONE ELSE. Most of you already get step wages - raises for living another year. Why should you get more than that when we're all hurting?
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- Pffft
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:33:42
Some government jobs are not paid much more annually than many minimum wage jobs. While some of you may think that step jobs get annual raises, you are mistaken. While unionized members do get step raises for the first few years (usually 3), they top out at the maximum for their range and the only raises they get are when the union renegotiates. Some government employees make $13/hour which to some of you may sound like a lot but when you have to take union dues, pensions, and other deductions out, we are making less than minimum wage. So, you a$$holes who think we have it made, please research before you open your mouths and complain about how good we have it. We are the working poor too.
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- tricky guy
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:29:14
The wages may be froze but just watch as the back room perks get kicked up a notch or four.The best part of have your hand in the money jar.Heck they'll even save on taxes this year.
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- YouveGotToBeKidding
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:27:50
Unbelievable...Will the Unions ever stop wanting More Money...Just how much do you people think you deserve an hour...Not to mention the Pension...Please...take a poll...Not one Islander would feel sorry for ya's...unless of course it was a fellow Union member!
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- WTF????
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:26:37
I am so angry at Walmart. Their staff are paid out of my money, and I think they could lower their prices if they cut wages.
In reality, you pay the wages of every place you spend money? Go to the Superstore? You pay their staffs wages? Why don't they bow down to youwhen youwalk in the door?
If these people WORK FOR YOU, then you are responsible for any greivance they have. If they work for you, if there is any discrimination, you are liable. It comes with being the employer. -
- bill
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:26:20
be careful--they are liberals
THEY BREAK CONTRACTS !
DON'T THEY ? -
- Bill
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:26:04
what ever jane enough is enough for the work they do they should be a little higher then min wage give me a break... hard work never crossed their hands... this gov is a joke and hopefully people will see this when it's time to vote.. and we got the worst city councillors ever... all crooks...
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- staying home
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:23:37
suck it up UPSE!!
wage freeze or layoffs
take your pick. -
- Boo
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:16:47
The last year has been difficult. We have survived the Great Depression 2 but the Consumer Price Index is at zero, meaning costs across the board are flat or decreasing.
PEI civil servants should understand this and recognize that a wage grab at this time is not acceptable. It's not like we have a stellar civil service, many of the positions are staffed through political or bureaucratic patronage. It's pretty well known that PEI has one of the worst civil services in the country, just ask the cousin of the friend of the sister that got hired instead of talent. Talent gets drummed out the door in the civil service of PEI.
So let's just say it's time UPSE got real. Perhaps they can make a gesture and come out and say they'll also accept no raises or increments for the next two years. That would buy them some credibility.
How's that from a former civil servant.
Wake up and smell the coffee UPSE. -
- someonewhoknows
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:14:18
To all the uninon bashers. Do you think that all uniionized workers take their so-called big wages and stuff it in a pillow.
Nothing could be further from the truth. They take whatever is left after paying taxes and utilities and invest it back into the communtities they live in. They buy cars, furniture , food and services that keep the rest of the people working.
Don't fault people for making a good wage. If they didn't the rest of us would really be in trouble. -
- Duey Union
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:13:50
Keep living the life people. The union will keep sucking money out of the government until one day the government finally decides it can no longer do this and then a mass reconstruction happens.
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- Bate
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:13:41
To STOP YELLING maybe you could stop BEING NEGATIVE another one with to much free time on there hands you seem quite good on the computer maybe you could do some teaching and take Janes advice if you have nothing nice to say say nothing you have a good day
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- Really?
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:13:17
I work in the private sector. My employees are not unionized. they want more money.
I'm getting the impression from reading this, that private sector workers don't want raises because that would be unfair to their bosses, and drive up the cost of sales.
I wish some of you would come to my work place and explain how they must be government workers if they are evil enough to want any more money. It would help me a lot. -
- Blaine
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:12:27
MLAs took a wage freeze so the union should not complain about takeing one to,if they dont like it i will take a job and so will a lot of other people.
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- empty
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:11:51
Taking a wage freeze after giving yourself hundreds of thousands of dollars of PNP units isn't really much of a sacrifice. The interest alone on the 'free money' the MLA's gave themselves would equal the deferred raises for the MLA's anyway. If Ghiz and his gang were really leading by example they'd either give back all of the units they gave themselves or give them equally to everything single islander.
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- frankthetank
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:05:00
Attacking the public sector is alwasy the easy scape goat when the government completely mismanages public finances. The provincial government needs to do some long term planning in regards to the public service. Under Binns a few years ago, they were offering incentives for public servants to retire, including health care workers. Then some of those workers are brought back to help deal with shortages in health care. So now they are getting their pensions, and they are back on the public payroll. In other cases, you have employees working lots of overtime to help keep things properly staffed which adds up to a lot of extra salary for employees. Instead of hiring more staff, existing staff just have to keep working overtime. Then the province announces the public internship program to offer internships to 50 people to help modernize the public service. Then Sheridan says they have to reduce the size of the public service. Effective human resource planning could likely lead to some savings as opposed to flying by the seat of your pants.
The announcement by Ghiz about making the public servants pay for their mistakes is typical. Public servants continually have to do more with less and now they will be rewarded with a wage freeze. At least Harper gave modest increases to the federal public service. Hopefully provincial unions will fight any potential attacks on the public service and stand up for members.
And yes, it is sad for everyone who is out there slaving away for minimum wage and trying to eke out a living. But salary increases for the public service is not why some people are having such a hard time making ends meet. Workers on the Island should stand united to see their fellow workers do better. Be upset at the government, not the workers who are working their hardest to provide programs and services for Islanders. -
- sick
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:47:27
I agree with Pffft fromPEI there are negative people who just want to complain about everything ...... do they work shift work ... i bet they dont but ,they are the 1st ones to shoot off their big mouths ........ if you are so worried about our wages ...... go& get an education & you can have a Govt job too ....... i had it rough putting my self thru school as a single mother no money from Employment Insurance or welfare ...... i deserve where i work .... stop the whinning and start studying!!!!!!!!!
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- Anne
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:46:47
Again the Callbeck government all over again to some degree. Why should us as union members get hit with this yet once again. I know you have taken a freeze for two years but why make everyone else suffer because of the government's spending?
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- STOP YELLING!
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:46:40
To DIANE:
My Sentiments Exactly!
TO JANE CREED:
Someone as upset as you apparently are should find out before using a Computer where your Cap Lock Button is !!! CAPS on Forums are seen as SCREAMING at people! Could you tone it down? -
- Sharing the Cost
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:43:09
My wife and I both work for govt. We are paid well for what we do and we work very hard for a province we both believe in very much. I for one would not be upset with a wage freeze if that is what is required. I have worked in the private sector and when things were tight there were times that I did not get a raise. Just wanted people to know not all bureaucrats are unreasonable and a lot understand that everyone has to share in the cost during this downturn. I appreciate the fact that Islanders pay my wages and I want people to know that not everyone has a unwarranted sense of entitlement.
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- steve
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:38:11
PUBLIC sector works. They work for the PUBLIC - if they really cared for the PUBLIC they would forego any increases.
There is a lot of qualified public that would certainly work for their wage and security which the PUBLIC has allowed them to have.
At the most I would settle for more of a pay for performance structure. -
- MLA from West
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:36:40
This is great. Keep the MLA's wages down so no one who is educated will try and take my job. As long as you pay below what a proffesional makes there won't be anyone who is really qualified to run the province tempted to run for my job.
Thanks Rob. -
- health care worker
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:36:32
I'm pretty sure there are some vacant jobs in the area of health care! I have to wonder if Government decisions are always the best decisions. Did we really need 2 positions created for wine and spirit sales on PEI right at this time. but on the other hand it created two new jobs! I did not just fall into the job that I have and it was not just given to me because of the way I voted. I've worked very hard to get my education, with no hand outs from anyone except for my poor parents! I also pay taxes just like EVERYONE ELSE! The unions are just doing there job, just like everyone else.
