[TURC] Re: Public Sector Workers in Atlantic
- From: Tony Clark <tclark@xxxxxxx>
- To: "turc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <turc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 12:05:12 -0600
The Broadbent Institute just released a report on the political activities of
right-leaning charities: "Stephen Harper's CRA: selective audits, "political"
activity, and right-leaning charities,"
http://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/sites/default/files/documents/harpers-cra-final.pdf
Broadbent takes a shot at the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, the
Frontier Centre for Public Policy, and others along the same lines as I wrote
below to TURC in September.
Good stuff, though they left out the Manning Foundation. I have a feeling we'll
hear more about them soon...
Tony Clark
Alberta Federation of Labour
From: turc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:turc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Tony Clark
Sent: Friday, September 19, 2014 3:19 PM
To: turc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [TURC] Re: [!!Mass Mail]Re: Public Sector Workers in Atlantic
Embarrassingly, I just got around to reading the "study." This sentence jumps
out at me: "At the same time, responsibility to taxpayers requires the diligent
use of
public funds, meaning the government should keep public sector employment
levels and compensation rates within reasonable bounds."
This is a political statement, in the Canada Revenue Agency definition of the
term. That is, the aim of the report is to change government policy (here's the
CRA policy:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/chrts/plcy/cps/cps-022-eng.html).
I note that the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) is a registered
charity and staffed by a number of people formerly from the Frontier Centre for
Public Policy (Ben Eisen, for example). Both of these "think tanks" are
"charities" (you can look them up on the CRA charities listing page here:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/srch/advancedsearch-eng.action).
The CRA requires that "substantially all" (90% or more) of the charity's
resources must be devoted to charitable activities. The AIMS has been getting
pretty close to the 90% mark, but hasn't quite made it to 90%. The Frontier
Centre hasn't come close to that mark.
Another point is the AIMS and the Frontier Centre for Public Policy are acting
politically, even though they say they aren't on the CRA filings, yet they're
not the ones getting audited (that we know), it's the left-oriented ones.
I'd be MORE THAN HAPPY to work with someone on a complaint or something to the
CRA about this. There appears to me to be enough evidence that AIM and FCPP are
not meeting their obligations as charities.
Tony Clark
(Alberta Federation of Labour staffer)
From: turc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:turc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:turc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Christine Saulnier
Sent: Friday, September 19, 2014 6:06 AM
To: turc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:turc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [!!Mass Mail][TURC] Re: Public Sector Workers in Atlantic
I want to echo what Larry said about this list-what a fantastic resource.
Thanks so much for your contributions. The AIMS report is getting very little
media attention as of now. It was on the front page of the business section of
Halifax Chronicle-Herald but I so far I haven't seen any other media uptake. I
haven't drawn attention to it and hope it just dies away. Apparently they are
going to publish further studies on the public sector--perhaps we can learn
from them, instead of a 76 page report as CCPA-NS published on the federal
public sector in Atlantic Canada, they will publish several short reports to
get multiple media hits.
Here is the Chronicle article:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1237457-aims-report-cut-14000-public-sector-jobs
In solidarity,
Christine
On 18/09/2014 4:46 PM, Larry Haiven wrote:
Wow, I gotta say that the TURC network is fantastic. On this issue alone, the
contributions have been wonderful. More than worth the millions of dollars we
pay for it. Keep up the good work, folks.
Larry Haiven, PhD
Professor, Department of Management
Academic Director, Co-operative Management Education Programs
Saint Mary's University - Sobey School of Business
Halifax, NS, CANADA B3H 3C3
Cellphone: (902) 240-2782
________________________________
From: turc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:turc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[turc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:turc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>] on behalf of
Laurell Ritchie [laurellritchie@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:laurellritchie@xxxxxxxxxxx>]
Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 4:39 PM
To: turc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:turc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [TURC] Re: Public Sector Workers in Atlantic
It can also be said that AIMS aims to attack working women and their hard-won
gains in the public sector.
Women are the majority of public sector workers in the Atlantic and across
Canada. Any proposal to slash those jobs will disproportionately impact women.
2013 Public Sector Employment from CANSIM Table 282-0012
NL: women = 41,500; men =25,800
PEI: women = 14,000; men = 7,400
NS: women = 69,600; men = 41,300
NB: women = 54,800; men = 32,200
1. Public sector jobs represent comparatively 'good jobs' for women. One
reason public sector jobs pay better is the smaller pay gap between men and
women, compared with the private sector. As the late Gil Levine, former CUPE
Research Director argued when public sector wages were under attack "public
sector women will have their wage rates tied to the job ghetto rates of low
paid jobs in private industry, where employers profit by discriminating against
women."
2. A joint ILO European Commission study of austerity measures in the
European Union"Public Sector Adjustment in Europe" concluded that women in the
public sector faced a greater risk of losing jobs. The sector is a major source
of employment for women. "Women working in the public sector in countries of
the European Union (EU) have been particularly hard-hit by recent cutbacks in
jobs, wages and benefits, according to a joint ILO European Commission study".
3. The Public Service Alliance of Canada made these and other arguments in
'Job Cuts Hurt Women': "Women will be harshly affected. More than half of
public sector workers are women, representing 84 per cent of administrative
staff in federal workplaces. This means that jobs cuts in the federal public
sector will disproportionately impact women: They lose good paying jobs.
Federal public sector jobs pay an average of 10 per cent more than private
sector jobs, thanks to the successful pay equity struggles that were led by
PSAC. They lose decent pensions and benefits. In the public sector, two thirds
of women have pensions, as opposed to only one third in the private sector."
(2012 figures)
http://www.ciu-sdi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/JobCutWomen-finalE.pdf
4. Community interests are another consideration. When public services are
cut, the public has to do without, pay more for the service from private
providers, or do-it-yourself. That's yet another burden for women who carry the
biggest load of childcare and eldercare.
Laurell Ritchie
416-917-0047
laurellritchie@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:laurellritchie@xxxxxxxxxxx>
________________________________
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 11:57:45 -0300
From: christine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:christine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: turc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:turc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [TURC] Public Sector Workers in Atlantic
Hi everyone
Any help on how to frame a response to this new study by our right wing think
tank is appreciated.
http://www.aims.ca/en/home/library/details.aspx/3721
n The Size and Cost of Atlantic Canada's Public Sector, authors Ben Eisen and
Shaun Fantauzzo compare public sector employment rates in the ten Canadian
provinces. They show that the public sector employment rates are higher than
the national average in all four Atlantic Provinces, and that public sector
workers receive a larger share of all labour income in the regional economy
than elsewhere in the country.
Specific findings include (all data is from 2013):
* Nationally, 17.8 per cent of all jobs are in the civilian public sector. In
Atlantic Canada, this number is significantly higher, at 22.6 percent.
* Sub-national public sector employment-excluding federal employees-rates are
significantly higher in Atlantic Canada than in the rest of the country. The
cost of employing these additional workers is a significant expense for the
region's taxpayers. Nationally, there are 84 sub-national public sector
employees per 1,000 residents. This number is higher in all four Atlantic
Provinces. In Newfoundland and Labrador, there are 109 such employees per 1,000
residents. In Nova Scotia, there are 99 employees per 1,000 residents, in PEI
there are 95 such employees and in New Brunswick there are 85 sub-national
public sector employees per 1,000 residents.
* Due to high rates of public sector employment, and a large gap between the
average compensation for public- and private-sector workers, public sector
workers in Atlantic Canada earn a significantly larger share of all labour
income in the economy than in the rest of the country. Nationally, public
sector workers receive 22.3 per cent of all labour income. In Atlantic Canada,
that figure is 31.3 per cent. The provincial figures are: 40.3 per cent in PEI;
31.6 per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador; 31 per cent in New Brunswick; and
30.2 per cent in Nova Scotia.
* The authors calculate the impact of high rates of public sector employment in
excess of the national average on the public sector wage bill that is borne by
taxpayers. They show that public sector employment in excess of the national
average increases the public sector wage bill in the region by a total of $1.89
billion. To put this figure in context, the combined regional provincial budget
deficit in the 2012-13 fiscal year was $1.08 billion
-A high-quality public sector workforce that delivers public services
efficiently and effectively can contribute to economic prosperity and
maintaining such a workforce requires paying competitive wages," said Mr.
Eisen. "At the same time, governments across the region are facing an ongoing
fiscal crunch and need to be frugal and carefully examine all areas of
spending. Gradually working to bring public sector employment rates closer into
line with the national average is one strategy that may help address the fiscal
challenges we are facing."
--
Christine Saulnier, PhD
Nova Scotia Director
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
PO Box 8355, Halifax, NS B3K 5M1
(902) 240-0926
For more information, to become a member or make a donation:
www.policyalternatives.ca<http://www.policyalternatives.ca>
Friend CCPANS on facebook
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Unifor Local 567
--
Christine Saulnier, PhD
Nova Scotia Director
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
PO Box 8355, Halifax, NS B3K 5M1
(902) 240-0926
For more information, to become a member or make a donation:
www.policyalternatives.ca<http://www.policyalternatives.ca>
Friend CCPANS on facebook
Follow CCPANS on twitter
Unifor Local 567
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--
Christine Saulnier, PhD
Nova Scotia Director
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
PO Box 8355, Halifax, NS B3K 5M1
(902) 240-0926
For more information, to become a member or make a donation:
www.policyalternatives.ca<http://www.policyalternatives.ca>
Friend CCPANS on facebook
Follow CCPANS on twitter
Unifor Local 567
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