177 replies to this topic

[UrbanRail]

I think that it's called an election. Trouble is, only about 60% of us can be bothered to get off the couch and actually vote.

Personally I think people should enact change between elections. Unfortunately there is a growing discontent with our elected officials. That discontent works in the favour of those in power, as the less people that vote, the less that will vote against them.

[UrbanRail]

An article I found online

Do public sector workers deserve all those sick days?

In the general parlance of coffee shop complainery, perhaps no group is as reviled as government workers, who are not so much inefficient but also loaf, whine and go home to cushy salaries and pensions.

Of course, painting all public workers this way is not just unfair. It’s inaccurate, too. Yet such are the broad strokes many use.

In most ways, it is easy to spin this stereotype. You could cite, say, the country’s many nurses, who bust their asses, saving lives and all for modest public wages.

But then a report comes out on the number of sick days public sector workers take versus their private sector counterparts, and now everyone’s seeing red again.

Read more: http://www.everydaym...-sick-days.html

[PulpVictor]

eh? We have elections quite regularly, and there is still no accountability.

[PulpVictor]

Government needs oversight. Oversight that has some power. Accountability and transparency is critical. I vote in every election I have the right to vote in, but that doesn't mean that the people I have helped to elect do what they have promised to do.

[UrbanRail]

Government needs oversight. Oversight that has some power. Accountability and transparency is critical. I vote in every election I have the right to vote in, but that doesn't mean that the people I have helped to elect do what they have promised to do.

I agree, but unfortunately (especially here in BC) we dont vote people in, we vote people out. I also agree that the people we put in office hopefully will fulfill their election promises and be accountable to the taxpayer.

[Szeven]

Gotta love:

"In most ways, it is easy to spin this stereotype. You could cite, say, the country’s many nurses, who bust their asses, saving lives and all for modest public wages."

Modest public wages... lol. What do they get... $45-50/hr?

[Mike K.]

Some food for thought...

Average public servant costs taxpayers $114K a year, PBO reveals
By Julian Beltrame, National Post/Canadian Press
http://news.national...ar-pbo-reveals/

OTTAWA — A new report from Canada’s budget watchdog suggests the country’s federal public servants have enjoyed a pretty good decade or so.

The paper from the Parliamentary Budget Officer shows the average public servant costs taxpayers $114,100 a year in total compensation.

What’s more, the PBO says compensation in the federal service has outpaced inflation and that of other employees — both in business and other levels of government — over the last 13 years. [Read more]

[PulpVictor]

Gotta love:

"In most ways, it is easy to spin this stereotype. You could cite, say, the country’s many nurses, who bust their asses, saving lives and all for modest public wages."

Modest public wages... lol. What do they get... $45-50/hr?

You couldn't pay me enough to do their job...but that's why there is a nursing shortage. I agree, though. They aren't exactly modest wages.

[PulpVictor]

Some food for thought...

Jrag posted this earlier today

[PulpVictor]

That works out to $43B per year...

[PulpVictor]

So much for accountability:

http://news.national...epping-mandate/

[PulpVictor]

And, thankfully, I'm not alone in wanting pay equity for public / private workers:

http://taxpayer.com/...ernment-workers

[PulpVictor]

I think the discussion was not begun simply because of just sick days, but comparing Public Service sick days (and all other compensation, inclusive) to private compensation.

[Bingo]

When I used to work for government I always took a cheese sandwich in my lunchbag. And I never got sick of it.

[sdwright.vic]

So I take care of a child in a group setting as individual support. I am funded by VIHA, yet paid by the centre. Guess who is not sick today, but now gets to stay home without pay because the kid is sick?

[PulpVictor]

So I take care of a child in a group setting as individual support. I am funded by VIHA, yet paid by the centre. Guess who is not sick today, but now gets to stay home without pay because the kid is sick?

I bet there is not ONE government worker who wouldn't be paid in that circumstance.

[UrbanRail]

Gotta love:

"In most ways, it is easy to spin this stereotype. You could cite, say, the country’s many nurses, who bust their asses, saving lives and all for modest public wages."

Modest public wages... lol. What do they get... $45-50/hr?

Hey if you had to deal with body fluids everyday wouldnt you want to be compensated well?

Anyway the average starting wage for an RN is $50,500 in BC. The starting hourly wage is $29.

I do find it interesting that we dont go after doctors who make a lot of money, but we do go after nurses. Are we suggesting that nurses dont deserve the same treatment?

My girlfriend makes just under $22 an hour and she is an RCA. In the private sector she would be getting between $15 and $18 and hour. For the amount of work she does (and she works in a seniors homecare facility) I think she deserves better.

Anyway here is a link to info dating from 2010.

http://ca.answers.ya...02135201AAefE80

[VicHockeyFan]

Hey if you had to deal with body fluids everyday wouldnt you want to be compensated well?

...what does a septic-tank truck driver earn?

[Hotel Mike]

^ the "honey man" as we used to call him when I was a kid.

[UrbanRail]

...what does a septic-tank truck driver earn?

not the same thing, but from what I have seen, less than $20/hr

Nurses deal with peoples lives, septic tank drivers dont, so you cant compare the two.