Good for them. I so tired of seeing Managers and politicians getting the 20 – 40 % pay increases, golden pensions like crazy. About time the average worker gets a bit of the money that the public has been conned into believing all government workers are doing so well. I am not a government worker but very well aware of who gets what as far as benefits, pensions, etc.

Government workers do in fact do **OK** when it comes to wages and benefits, pensions , etc;

I agree that the Managers and Politicians should get nothing for the next 10 years or more, because they are over paid and underworked.

Having said that, the BCGEU employees will get little support from the taxpayers, because the bank account is empty. Its time for Civil Servants to back off on its requests for more. Taxpayers have had it.

Just trying to keep up with the Jones Palopu! Just raise the taxes on smokes and booze to help pay for the government employees wages and benefits. If industry can hand out some wage and benefit increases so can government.

“If industry can hand out some wage and benefit increases so can government. “

Or the government “workers” could try their hand working in the “industry”.

More taxes on smokes and booze……!

LOVE IT!!!!

Even crazier idea, anyone suffering from a smoking or alcohol induced illness should have to pay for medical expenses out of pocket…….but that is probably too crazy!!

I fully support the BCGEU in their efforts to maintain their quality of life for their families, what they are seeking barely keeps up with inflation. Of all the things the taxes I pay go towards, blue collar govt worker wages have never been a concern.

It would be interesting to see an in depth story on how much of our GDP was being spent on our legal system? What does it cost to put one person through 178 convictions?

“I fully support the BCGEU in their efforts to maintain their quality of life for their families, what they are seeking barely keeps up with inflation.”

They could try working elsewhere for a living if they’re not happy with what they’re getting. Just a thought.

Why not do it on a Friday, so they can plan for a long weekend

“Its time for Civil Servants to back off on its requests for more. Taxpayers have had it.”

Guess what civil servants are taxpayers too….just in case you didnt know that Palopu. Well unless they have some tax exemption I wasnt aware of…

“Why not do it on a Friday, so they can plan for a long weekend”

Have you checked the forecast for Friday? Besides, a lot of them take their flex day on Friday.

Yah why do it on a flex day…a day they would get paid for instead of today when they lose a whole days pay instead. And yes faxman they are losing a days pay. no salary positions on that picket line.

“Yah why do it on a flex day…a day they would get paid for instead of today when they lose a whole days pay instead. And yes faxman they are losing a days pay. no salary positions on that picket line. “

So you’re saying they picked today based on the forecast?

Do they not get strike pay for today?

A one day strike is seldom paid strike pay by any union. Typically has to be 3 days to trigger strike pay, which is typically about $10 a day. Each various union is different.

Your right, pick Thursday and get a real long weekend for those getting flex days.

I like how Faxman thinks, cut corporate income taxes by 5% ($millions$) and then tell your government employees you expect to pick up the slack by going year after year with 0 0 0 net zero contracts. We are better served by foreign stockholders collecting higher dividends than we are with government workers being able to afford to buy things from Canadian businesses? Interesting way to look at things, but not my way.

” We are better served by foreign stockholders collecting higher dividends than we are with government workers being able to afford to buy things from Canadian businesses? Interesting way to look at things, but not my way.”

We are better served by stockholders (foreign or domestic) who are willing to invest in our businesses then we are by a bunch of lazy “workers” who expect the rest of us to pay for their livelihoods.

No Jim, I suspect that your way involves standing around with your hand out going, “gimmee, gimmee, gimmee….”

2.5% and 1% of what? I have seen a lot of government T4’s cross my path and I amazed at what many government employees earn. And their benefit packages are also worth a lot of money.

I may be looking at this as a us and them comparison. Things look very attractive in the them situation. I would have difficulty going on strike for anything based on what I know.

Working people would like to invest also…..if they ever had any disposable income to invest with. It’s kind of humorous to hear the “lazy worker” line, if it wasn’t for the workers a few wealthy people might have to break a finger nail once in a while making their own money instead of just wiggling their silver spoons around with their tongues and complaining they don’t make enough return on their investment.

I’d be surprised if Faxman has ever put in an ‘honest’ days work…and I’d be flabbergasted if he’d ever actually worked all night to keep food on his table.

Chester, when inflation is 3 % and BC Hydro is seeking rate increases of 10% annually, and Carbon Taxes are being raised, and ICBC is jacking your insurance rates up, and gasoline is heading for $2 per litre …..you have a choice. Strike in order to press your point that you shouldn’t have to be one of the working poor or let your Liberal minded people like Faxman live the high life while they poo poo your labours and call you lazy and stupid.

Where is the like button. I like what Jim had to say.

Jim, Jim, Jim….You’re a funny little guy. You and I (and a hell of a lot of other people) would have a lot more disposable income if we didn’t have so many useless and unnecessary people sucking at the taxpayers teat. Your Utopia is not sustainable Jim. Take a look at Greece if you want to see what happens to a country when everyone expects everyone else to look after them.

Who exactly are the “lazy workers” you speak of faxman? Do you mean those that supply you your booze for the weekend, those that stand behind a desk listening to you whine while they are processing your drivers licence, those that fight wildfires to protect your home or livelihood or the myriad of other taxpayer funded slaves that do your bidding for you.

Some people are priceless!

What does a fax machine repair guy make these days?

If the BCGEU can hang on until to NDP gets into power, I’ll sure they’ll get all they want and more.

All kidding aside, I have to agree with faxman. Government at all levels has gotten too big and the fat wages, benefits, and pensions are unsustainable.

We need to cut back big time. BC Liquor stores are a prime example…

We have too many Government workers, on high paid jobs, who pretend to work for a living. They think that answering a phone and then transferring the call to someone else is work. The Government has this Province so screwed up with all the **Red tape** it is an embarresment.

Everyday they come up with another stupid idea, and then hire some people to implement it. We are totally out of control, and will in fact end up like Greece, or other European Countries if we dont smarten up.

Dont think for one minute that Government workers pay taxes. That is the biggest lie going.

Both the Government, and Government workers, (BCGEU) are paid for by tax dollars, so it matters little to a **real** taxpayer Ie; private business, whether the Government worker is an MLA, or a janitor, they both get paid by the taxpayer. To try and separate them is hogwash. Government is Government. Civil Servants are Civil Servants,

How can employees of the Government pay taxes??? The money they pay in taxes comes from the taxpayers, so in effect they pay diddly squat.

Well as far as i can tell if people like Palopu and Faxman get their way, the average worker is not entitled to wage increases but big corperations( ICBC executives for example) and high level gonenment members ( ie. MLA’s/Priemers) are the only people entitled to earning wage increases yearly while the rest of the population should just take it in the a** because these two jokers are willing too. Get a clue. Get informed. Do some simple math. There are more averarage workers out there then these so called upper class workers. The more people spending money on products and services the better, but no raises means less spending(ie. Cars, movies, food outlets, clothing stores etc.) With your guys thinking we can all be working 3 different jobs 70 hours a week just to try and provide a roof over our kids head and afford to get them to their sports and activities because we are to busy working.

To correct the end of my statement, to afford to enroll our kids in sports and activities and find someone to get them there because we are to busy working.

“Well as far as i can tell if people like Palopu and Faxman get their way, the average worker is not entitled to wage increases but big corperations( ICBC executives for example) and high level gonenment members ( ie. MLA’s/Priemers) are the only people entitled to earning wage increases yearly while the rest of the population should just take it in the a** because these two jokers are willing too”

I said no such thing. When I say “government worker” I make no distinction between the person at the front counter and the one in the upstairs corner office.

And nobody is “entitled” to anything.

“fat wages, benefits, and pensions”

Who exactly is receiving “fat wages, benefits, and pensions” BJ? Oh sorry, “JB”.

BC Liquor stores are money makers for the taxpayer, why would the taxpayer wish to end that?
Only someone with an interest in taking that away for themselves would suggest that. You know…privatization!
Oh thats right you are a Liberal!

“How can employees of the Government pay taxes??? The money they pay in taxes comes from the taxpayers, so in effect they pay diddly squat”

In effect they pay their own wages as well.

Maybe govt employees shouldn’t have to pay any taxes whatsoever hey Palupo?

Again faxman…. who are the “lazy workers” you speak of?

posted by Faxman: “”Jim, Jim, Jim….You’re a funny little guy. You and I (and a hell of a lot of other people) would have a lot more disposable income if we didn’t have so many useless and unnecessary people sucking at the taxpayers teat. Your Utopia is not sustainable Jim. Take a look at Greece if you want to see what happens to a country when everyone expects everyone else to look after them.””

I suppose your Utopia is Tiawan where workers make $60 per month? Or south america where mining companies are raping the earth for gold, polluting the water…and the workers are paid welfare wages and living in grass huts? How about those workers that are committing suicide because all they do is work and they don’t get paid enough to keep their families??

Is that the Utopia you covet?

You forget that if it wasn’t for working people the rich upper classes would have to work themselves, they should be grateful for that instead of being greedy.

The government giveth and the government taketh away.

All they do is raise ICBC compulsory insurance rates and take a little of the BCGEU wage raises back…then they raise Hydro rates…and get a little more back..then they raise Carbon Taxes and whoopeee they have most of it back…then gasoline prices go up and holy cow they are going into the black!!!

Our province is running a deficit for one reason….the BC Liberals lowered corporate and personal income taxes BEFORE the provincial debt was eradicated. How much provincial tax revenue was lost due to that 5% corporate tax cut?

Then we find out BC Hydro is buying capital assets for businesses to reduce their power usage…so they can buy more expensive co-gen power off them….and the Federal government is giving them millions upon millions for ‘green’ projects….

But that is OK, shut down rural schools, underfund wildlife protection, cut those workers overseeing our forestry, close hospitals etc etc etc

Our province needs to be brought back into balance….the greedy ones are going too far.

“Our province is running a deficit for one reason….the BC Liberals lowered corporate and personal income taxes BEFORE the provincial debt was eradicated. How much provincial tax revenue was lost due to that 5% corporate tax cut? “

By how much did provincial tax revenue increase due to the corporate tax cut?

You seem to have this bizarre idea of what a corporation is. I’m willing to bet that you have a lot of money tied up in these corporations you seem to hate so much.

Dragon: “Who exactly is receiving “fat wages, benefits, and pensions” BJ? Oh sorry, “JB”.

BC Liquor stores are money makers for the taxpayer, why would the taxpayer wish to end that?”

When one struggles to make a point, they often feel the need to engage in juvenile name calling. But that’s nothing new for you, is it Dragonmaster?

Anyway, to the point, there is absolutely no need for BC Liquor stores and their highly paid employees. Government still sets the price of liquor, regardless of who sells it.

Now your going to suggest that provincial tax revenues increase when you cut corporate taxes?? LOL Utopia. ;-)

Your messed up, I don’t hate corporations, corporations make the economy go around and around.

I suppose your suggesting that cutting the corporate taxes attracted new industries to BC?

While the HST chased them away…and Carbon Taxes chased them away. They were going to put a lime plant in at Giscome, but the BC Liberal Carbon taxes scared them off…remember?

Corporations are attracted by an educated workforce, a well established community with modern services….and the potential for a good return on investment.

“Corporations are attracted by an educated workforce, a well established community with modern services….and the potential for a good return on investment. “

I agree with you. However, we still have way too many people eating at the public trough. Which has been my side of the debate since the beginning. :)

faxman says…”We are better served by stockholders (foreign or domestic) who are willing to invest in our businesses then we are by a bunch of lazy “workers” who expect the rest of us to pay for their livelihoods”.

Who are the “lazy workers” you’re referring to faxman?

JB you’re so much a part of a sad movie.

PS. I don’t see any reference to carbon taxes here:

http://www.graymont.com/pdf/Giscome_Nov07_Newsletter.pdf

dm: “JB you’re so much a part of a sad movie.”

I’m sorry to hear that your life is sad, but my comment stands.

I have never been in favour of Politicians, or high level executives private or government getting obscene wages, benefits, etc; In fact I think it is a national disgrace. These people are basically robbing the low and middle class workers to feather their nests.

You will never be able to convince me that any of these people actually earn the big wages they are paid. Fact of the matter is they are all *connected* and look after each other.

On the other hand we cannot expect those people with lower paying jobs, no unions, no benefits, etc; to continue to pay taxes to support those who have all the benefits, etc; That just doesnt make sense.

A huge percentage of our tax dollars now goes to paying the wages and benefits of Government politicians, and workers. Are we getting value for our money?? Especially from Government entities such as Transit, BC Ferries, ICBC, BC Hydro, etc; Highly unlikely. The simple fact is these people are ripping off the taxpayers of BC, and these entities, and the Government need a complete overhauling. (Look at the latest ICBC fiasco)

In some Countries Government Employees (Civil Servants) do not pay any taxes. When you think about it, if you pay an employee $1000.00 per month, and then take back $200.00 in so called taxes, the employee is in essence working for $800.00 per month, so why not just pay him the $800.00 and forget about taxing him. The end result is the same.

Jim, the HST chased no corps away. It was benificial to them. Do you understand how the HST was to work?

as well, there are many cases of lower tax rates generating more income. It is not utopian thinking. It is factual. Although it won’t convince you union drones.

Dow7500-HST, are you making note of all the cross border shopping? How can a retail corporation compete with HST free Alberta and Washington State? Canadian small businesses located close to the borders cannot compete so they shut down in BC, some relocate on the other side of the border. Small limited companies are moving to Alberta, why would a welding company locate in BC when everything they buy would have to pay the additional tax….and his personal income taxes are lower too because his ‘wages’ are deemed to have been made in alta.

Generally you may be right that the HST is a good concept for corporations, but the last time I checked they don’t get a vote….and we live in a democracy. :-)

Faxman-it’s clearly on page 2, in the left hand column. The decision was made while Gordon Campbell was deciding what to call the new tax. It’s now commonly known as the Gordon Campell government carbon tax grab. Obviously Graymont didn’t want to play ball with carbon offset shell games.

So jim, now we have the old pst/gst system. same cost to consumers with restraunts the notable exception. Bc will have the same tax disadvantage with alberta which only pays GST. Nothing has changed on that front since bc adopted the pst. What exactly is your point?

Dow~the point is that HST~PST~GST [and Carbon Tax] or any combination puts BC at an economic disadvantage and chases corporations away from setting up in BC.

If we want to compete we have to at the very least level the playing field for large corporations, smaller limited companies, and personal income through balanced tax exemptions.

Jim, the reason Alberta doesn’t have PST is because they can afford not to, we however cannot. Use your head. Having the HST at least made things far more simple for businesses, now we get to revert back to a rediculous system and lose more money in the process. People voted with their party alliances and not with their brains so now not only do we have a stupid taxation system, but also a wishy washy public, why would anyone ever invest here now?

BC is broke? We cannot afford the things we could afford over the last 100 years? When Alberta wasn’t booming…how did they manage with no sales taxes? How do they manage with their workers paying lower taxes and no PST….ask your Liberal buddies that and watch them squirm!

Ok I can’t believe the misconception about government benefits. Benefits have been stripped continuously over the years. For example paramedical ie chiropractor you pay 80 plus per visit depending and government benefit only reimburses 8 dollars yes you are reading correctly 80 percent on the first 10 up to 10 visits which will the pay 80 percent of the total cost to a max of 250 per year. Further I would like some examples of jobs in the private sector that compares to the public. Give me examples of the equivalent to an employment assistance work or for those of you who dont know what that is…. A welfare worker who I might add is verbally abused almost daily. Not to mention other workers who work in prevention loss management who not only get verbally abused almost daily but also have their lives and their families lives threatened as well. So I am willing to compare pay checks to a job that is equal to a public service job. Looking and comparing jobs that do not require education need to be excluded let’s look at equal education and job duties and compare the benefits and the pay check. Also remember to all of those who feel that they as tax payers shouldnt have to fork out more for the public service they have a website where you can apply as well I believe it is http://www.gov.bc.ca

Oh one more thing…government has no money??? How many millions was spent on bc place?? I see new wild fire signage what did that cost and what was wrong with smokey the bear?? Also how many millions is it going cost with the new welfare policy changes??? It’s going to be a free frall for all of those already scamming welfare.