![[Canada] British Columbia government defends dramatic public payroll increase](http://gpa.net/cdn/shop/articles/bigstock-Female-Nurse-Wearing-Scrubs-Wh-336236938_cb8b0ff2-2437-4989-9c96-7cda4cfafcaf_1200x.jpg?v=1750119475)
In British Columbia (B.C.), Canada, the NDP (New Democratic Party) government has defended itself following new reports detailing the dramatic increase in the number of public sector employees and the cost of payroll, Global News reports.
B.C. is experiencing a staffing shortage across key public sectors and currently has a shortfall of more than 1,000 teachers and six times as many nurses.
Yet, while critical positions go unfilled, the size of the public sector reportedly continues to grow. B.C. now leads the nation in the growth of taxpayer-funded jobs.
“It’s gone from $5 billion worth of people (earning) over $75,000 to now $11.5 billion, so it’s more than doubled,” Peter Milobar - B.C. Conservative finance critic and MLA for Kamloops Centre - said.
“This government has a real problem when it comes to hiring, reining in costs and bringing things under control, and that leads to our structural deficit of over $12 billion.”
Critics point out that the size of government has increased overall under the NDP’s watch.
In 2017, there were just over 29,000 public servants; now there are close to 39,000. A leap of 32 per cent over eight years.
While the public sector is growing, private sector job growth reportedly sits at half of its historical average.
The B.C. General Employees Union has acknowledged that the unionised workforce has grown, but it says the real issue is the growth of non-union positions, and the fact that management has increased at a pace nearly double that of union members.
The claim is echoed in healthcare, where the B.C. Nurses’ Union (BCNU) reportedly says that health authorities are top-heavy.
“Anecdotally, that’s how it appears,” Adrianne Gear - BCNU president - said. “From my members’ perspective, it does seem like there is a lot of senior management leadership.
“At any given time, we are almost 6,000 nurses short; that’s how many vacancies we have, and when we move to full implementation of nurse-patient ratios … we are going to need many, many more nurses.”
The B.C. government has reportedly committed to hiring more front-line workers in healthcare, education and other critical occupations. However, competition worldwide is intense.
B.C. Premier David Eby stated that much of the growth is related to tackling that competition.
“They are doctors, they are nurses, they are teachers, they are people who provide vital services in our province. It is why we are leading Canada in recruiting family doctors and why we are on track to ensuring every British Columbian gets access to a family doctor. Ensuring we are competitive in wages for those doctors, ensuring we are competitive in wages for nurses, that we are the best place for a nurse to work in Canada,” Mr Eby said.
Source: Global News
(Quotes via original reporting)
In British Columbia (B.C.), Canada, the NDP (New Democratic Party) government has defended itself following new reports detailing the dramatic increase in the number of public sector employees and the cost of payroll, Global News reports.
B.C. is experiencing a staffing shortage across key public sectors and currently has a shortfall of more than 1,000 teachers and six times as many nurses.
Yet, while critical positions go unfilled, the size of the public sector reportedly continues to grow. B.C. now leads the nation in the growth of taxpayer-funded jobs.
“It’s gone from $5 billion worth of people (earning) over $75,000 to now $11.5 billion, so it’s more than doubled,” Peter Milobar - B.C. Conservative finance critic and MLA for Kamloops Centre - said.
“This government has a real problem when it comes to hiring, reining in costs and bringing things under control, and that leads to our structural deficit of over $12 billion.”
Critics point out that the size of government has increased overall under the NDP’s watch.
In 2017, there were just over 29,000 public servants; now there are close to 39,000. A leap of 32 per cent over eight years.
While the public sector is growing, private sector job growth reportedly sits at half of its historical average.
The B.C. General Employees Union has acknowledged that the unionised workforce has grown, but it says the real issue is the growth of non-union positions, and the fact that management has increased at a pace nearly double that of union members.
The claim is echoed in healthcare, where the B.C. Nurses’ Union (BCNU) reportedly says that health authorities are top-heavy.
“Anecdotally, that’s how it appears,” Adrianne Gear - BCNU president - said. “From my members’ perspective, it does seem like there is a lot of senior management leadership.
“At any given time, we are almost 6,000 nurses short; that’s how many vacancies we have, and when we move to full implementation of nurse-patient ratios … we are going to need many, many more nurses.”
The B.C. government has reportedly committed to hiring more front-line workers in healthcare, education and other critical occupations. However, competition worldwide is intense.
B.C. Premier David Eby stated that much of the growth is related to tackling that competition.
“They are doctors, they are nurses, they are teachers, they are people who provide vital services in our province. It is why we are leading Canada in recruiting family doctors and why we are on track to ensuring every British Columbian gets access to a family doctor. Ensuring we are competitive in wages for those doctors, ensuring we are competitive in wages for nurses, that we are the best place for a nurse to work in Canada,” Mr Eby said.
Source: Global News
(Quotes via original reporting)
