Treasury Board is proceeding with a series of studies
comparing the compensation of federal public servants with that received
by employees in similar positions in the private and other public
sectors, even though the Public Service Labour Relations Board (PSLRB)
is doing the same sort of study.
Source: ottawacitizen.com
Author: Don Butler
The Treasury Board secretariat is
currently advertising for consultants to conduct the studies, which
will be done over the next four years at a maximum total cost of $1.77
million, plus HST.
The move comes as the PSLRB gathers data for its own ongoing, comprehensive study — the largest it has ever undertaken — comparing the total compensation received by federal public servants in 79 benchmark jobs with that received by people working in similar jobs in the private sector or for provincial and municipal governments. The first results are expected next summer.
Comparative compensation has become a hot topic. The strike by foreign service officers is largely about their claim that they are paid significantly less than other federal government workers performing similar functions.
The same issue is at the heart of the current bargaining impasse between Treasury Board and the union representing border services officers.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents 140,000 federal public servants, says it supports the collection of compensation research data by the PSLRB.
But it doubts the board has the resources to do a proper study, worries that pay equity in the federal public service could distort the comparisons, and complains that the federal government has scrapped an advisory board in defiance of its own legislation.
As well, the PSAC finds it “really ironic” that Treasury Board is doing its own studies at the same time an under-resourced PSLRB is doing the same kind of research, David Orfald, a PSAC research officer, said in an interview.
Orfald suspects that Treasury Board is afraid that wage comparability data from the PSLRB will substantiate the existence of wage gaps.
“They’re looking for their own data,” he said, “They’re not interested in third-party facts.”
Gary Corbett, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, said it was “just ridiculous” that Treasury Board and the PSLRB are both doing compensation comparison studies.
“Talk about a waste of money. Holy smoke!” he exclaimed.
But Ian Lee, an assistant professor of economics at Carleton University, said “duelling studies” are actually a good thing.
“This isn’t like calculating GDP,” he said. “There’s a lot of judgment. Reasonable empirical people can reasonably disagree.”
As long as the results of both studies and their methodologies are made public, “then we can have a debate over which study was more reasonable.”
The move comes as the PSLRB gathers data for its own ongoing, comprehensive study — the largest it has ever undertaken — comparing the total compensation received by federal public servants in 79 benchmark jobs with that received by people working in similar jobs in the private sector or for provincial and municipal governments. The first results are expected next summer.
Comparative compensation has become a hot topic. The strike by foreign service officers is largely about their claim that they are paid significantly less than other federal government workers performing similar functions.
The same issue is at the heart of the current bargaining impasse between Treasury Board and the union representing border services officers.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents 140,000 federal public servants, says it supports the collection of compensation research data by the PSLRB.
But it doubts the board has the resources to do a proper study, worries that pay equity in the federal public service could distort the comparisons, and complains that the federal government has scrapped an advisory board in defiance of its own legislation.
As well, the PSAC finds it “really ironic” that Treasury Board is doing its own studies at the same time an under-resourced PSLRB is doing the same kind of research, David Orfald, a PSAC research officer, said in an interview.
Orfald suspects that Treasury Board is afraid that wage comparability data from the PSLRB will substantiate the existence of wage gaps.
“They’re looking for their own data,” he said, “They’re not interested in third-party facts.”
Gary Corbett, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, said it was “just ridiculous” that Treasury Board and the PSLRB are both doing compensation comparison studies.
“Talk about a waste of money. Holy smoke!” he exclaimed.
But Ian Lee, an assistant professor of economics at Carleton University, said “duelling studies” are actually a good thing.
“This isn’t like calculating GDP,” he said. “There’s a lot of judgment. Reasonable empirical people can reasonably disagree.”
As long as the results of both studies and their methodologies are made public, “then we can have a debate over which study was more reasonable.”
Lee believes Treasury Board
commissioned the studies in part to prepare for bargaining next year,
when at least 17 collective agreements expire.
“You can’t just flap your arms and assert something,” he said. “You’ve got to have reasonably credible studies to support your argument.”
But he also expects the government to use the studies’ findings in the run-up to the 2015 federal election, where he expects the Conservatives will try to differentiate themselves from other parties by highlighting their willingness to confront public sector unions on wages and benefits.
For its part, Treasury Board said in an email that the studies “will support the collective bargaining process with 27 different bargaining units represented by 17 bargaining agents.”
The PSLRB study, it said, “is one of many sources of information” the government and the unions can use in bargaining new contracts.
The PSLRB acquired responsibilities for compensation analysis and research with the enactment of amendments to the Public Service Labour Relations Act in 2005.
It released its first study in April 2008. It examined wages and benefits offered by public- and private-sector employers for 30 technical services occupations.
Its only other study, released in November 2008, provided detailed information on total compensation for 24 occupations in the Canadian health care sector.
Between 2009 and 2012, the board “lacked sufficient financial resources” to do more studies,” the PSLRB said in response to Citizen questions. But it has since moved to a web-based telephone and email approach.
“Using this new and more efficient strategy, the PSLRB is now better positioned to meet the needs of the parties within its current resource allocation,” the board said.
Orfald said the PSLRB’s lack of resources means it hasn’t been able to “fully engage” parties involved in the collective bargaining process. Without that engagement, he said, they won’t make use of the PSLRB data when arguing their case before arbitration boards or public interest commissions. “It’s not going to produce the results that are intended.
“My concern is that this employer doesn’t seem to want to be influenced by the facts about what the pay rates are for comparable jobs,” Orfald said. “If they don’t want to listen to the facts, it’s not going to be that useful to collect them.”
Another concern for PSAC is that public servants in female-dominated jobs likely earn more than those who work for employers who “haven’t been subject to the same level of pay equity compliance,” Orfald said. “If that’s the case, we’re not comparing apples to apples.
“It’s not because federal government workers are overpaid,” he said. “It’s because pay equity doesn’t exist in a lot of workplaces in this country, and it should.”
Here’s a list of the benchmark jobs included in the PSLRB’s study of total compensation in Canada.
PROFESSIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC
“You can’t just flap your arms and assert something,” he said. “You’ve got to have reasonably credible studies to support your argument.”
But he also expects the government to use the studies’ findings in the run-up to the 2015 federal election, where he expects the Conservatives will try to differentiate themselves from other parties by highlighting their willingness to confront public sector unions on wages and benefits.
For its part, Treasury Board said in an email that the studies “will support the collective bargaining process with 27 different bargaining units represented by 17 bargaining agents.”
The PSLRB study, it said, “is one of many sources of information” the government and the unions can use in bargaining new contracts.
The PSLRB acquired responsibilities for compensation analysis and research with the enactment of amendments to the Public Service Labour Relations Act in 2005.
It released its first study in April 2008. It examined wages and benefits offered by public- and private-sector employers for 30 technical services occupations.
Its only other study, released in November 2008, provided detailed information on total compensation for 24 occupations in the Canadian health care sector.
Between 2009 and 2012, the board “lacked sufficient financial resources” to do more studies,” the PSLRB said in response to Citizen questions. But it has since moved to a web-based telephone and email approach.
“Using this new and more efficient strategy, the PSLRB is now better positioned to meet the needs of the parties within its current resource allocation,” the board said.
Orfald said the PSLRB’s lack of resources means it hasn’t been able to “fully engage” parties involved in the collective bargaining process. Without that engagement, he said, they won’t make use of the PSLRB data when arguing their case before arbitration boards or public interest commissions. “It’s not going to produce the results that are intended.
“My concern is that this employer doesn’t seem to want to be influenced by the facts about what the pay rates are for comparable jobs,” Orfald said. “If they don’t want to listen to the facts, it’s not going to be that useful to collect them.”
Another concern for PSAC is that public servants in female-dominated jobs likely earn more than those who work for employers who “haven’t been subject to the same level of pay equity compliance,” Orfald said. “If that’s the case, we’re not comparing apples to apples.
“It’s not because federal government workers are overpaid,” he said. “It’s because pay equity doesn’t exist in a lot of workplaces in this country, and it should.”
Here’s a list of the benchmark jobs included in the PSLRB’s study of total compensation in Canada.
PROFESSIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC
Physical Sciences
Biologist
Chemist
Environmental/Natural Resources Analyst
Food Safety Specialist
Forestry Officer
Research Manager
Engineering
Engineer
Project Manager - Architecture
Senior Land Surveyor
Mathematics & Informatics
Actuary
Manager IM/IT
Methodologist
Programmer Analyst
Economic, Legal and Social
Archivist
Cataloguing Librarian
Financial Analyst
Financial Officer
Lawyer
Legal Counsel
Senior Economic Advisor
Senior Financial Analyst
Socio-Economic Analyst
Translator
Business Expertise & Administration Services
Client Services Manager
Client Services Officer
Commerce Officer
Communications Advisor
Compensation Advisor
Policy/Program Specialist
Property and Facility Project Manager
Senior Auditor
Senior Procurement Analyst
Supply/Procurement Officer
TECHNICAL
Scientific Support
Life Sciences Research Technician (Junior Level)
Life Sciences Research Technician/ Technologist (Intermediate Level)
Life Sciences Research Technologist (Senior Level)
Engineering Support
Construction Contracts Inspector
Draftsperson
GIS/Geomatics Technician
Instrumentation Control Technician
Senior Engineering Technologist
Telecommunications Electronic Systems Technologist
Protection, Enforcement and Regulations
Agri-food Inspection Supervisor
Agri-food Inspector
Community/Public Health Inspector
Correctional Services Officer
Firefighter
Labour Affairs Officer
Senior Correctional Officer
Senior Environmental Enforcement Officer
Senior Fishery Officer (Field Supervisor)
Senior Inspector – Weight and Measures
Technical Quality Assurance Contract Inspector
Administration
Library Technician
Senior Paralegal
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Support Clerk
Client Information Support Clerk
Desktop Technician
Executive Assistant
HR Assistant
Interviewer
Legal Administrative Assistant
SKILLED TRADES AND GENERAL SERVICES
Skilled Trades
Aircraft Technician
Automotive and Heavy Duty Mechanic
Building System Technician
Carpenter
Electrician
Painter
Plumber
Sheet Metal Worker
Stationary Engineer 2nd class
Stationary Engineer 3rd Class
General Services
Cook
Cleaner
Labourer
Store person
Trades Helper
Vehicle Driver/Operator
Original Article
Biologist
Chemist
Environmental/Natural Resources Analyst
Food Safety Specialist
Forestry Officer
Research Manager
Engineering
Engineer
Project Manager - Architecture
Senior Land Surveyor
Mathematics & Informatics
Actuary
Manager IM/IT
Methodologist
Programmer Analyst
Economic, Legal and Social
Archivist
Cataloguing Librarian
Financial Analyst
Financial Officer
Lawyer
Legal Counsel
Senior Economic Advisor
Senior Financial Analyst
Socio-Economic Analyst
Translator
Business Expertise & Administration Services
Client Services Manager
Client Services Officer
Commerce Officer
Communications Advisor
Compensation Advisor
Policy/Program Specialist
Property and Facility Project Manager
Senior Auditor
Senior Procurement Analyst
Supply/Procurement Officer
TECHNICAL
Scientific Support
Life Sciences Research Technician (Junior Level)
Life Sciences Research Technician/ Technologist (Intermediate Level)
Life Sciences Research Technologist (Senior Level)
Engineering Support
Construction Contracts Inspector
Draftsperson
GIS/Geomatics Technician
Instrumentation Control Technician
Senior Engineering Technologist
Telecommunications Electronic Systems Technologist
Protection, Enforcement and Regulations
Agri-food Inspection Supervisor
Agri-food Inspector
Community/Public Health Inspector
Correctional Services Officer
Firefighter
Labour Affairs Officer
Senior Correctional Officer
Senior Environmental Enforcement Officer
Senior Fishery Officer (Field Supervisor)
Senior Inspector – Weight and Measures
Technical Quality Assurance Contract Inspector
Administration
Library Technician
Senior Paralegal
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Support Clerk
Client Information Support Clerk
Desktop Technician
Executive Assistant
HR Assistant
Interviewer
Legal Administrative Assistant
SKILLED TRADES AND GENERAL SERVICES
Skilled Trades
Aircraft Technician
Automotive and Heavy Duty Mechanic
Building System Technician
Carpenter
Electrician
Painter
Plumber
Sheet Metal Worker
Stationary Engineer 2nd class
Stationary Engineer 3rd Class
General Services
Cook
Cleaner
Labourer
Store person
Trades Helper
Vehicle Driver/Operator
Source: ottawacitizen.com
Author: Don Butler
No comments:
Post a Comment