Liberals Give Themselves a Pay Hike...Shame!

Thursday, November 17, 2005 07:30 PM

A few weeks ago government held the teachers of the province to a zero % increase in wages arguing that the province had no money.

Well two weeks have now passed and today, out of the blue ,came an $11,000 dollar annual salary increase in MLA’s wages.

It took less than two hours to have the whole item passed into legislation.

There was more.

Along with the raise came the pensions for those same MLA’s, something the Liberals had cut from the legislature in their first term saying it was just an effort to ensure that the NDP MLA’s were well paid after they left office.

So are the Liberals any different?

For that matter, are the opposition NDP members any different?

Each one dipping into the taxpayers pockets to ensure that their place in history is well financed.

We are constantly learning from our political leaders that the public be damned, it is the personal interest of the individual that must come first.

I'm Meisner, and that is one man's opinion.

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Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 07:30 PM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: Chester on November 17 2005 7:52 PM

It just makes your stomach churn, doesn't it? Help me understand how our MLA's can justify giving themselves a pay raise?

The issue isn't whether they deserve one. Or, whether they need one. Or, whether they want one.

The issue is whether they should be the ones who decide how much and when. Especially when the public sector has had little success in justifying one for years.

It just seems so wrong that the current Members of our Provincial Legislative Assembly should be deciding their own pay schedules.

How do we change this? It does need to be changed. This government seems to be out of control at times. And out of step at other times. God help them all, for they know not what they do. Chester

Posted by: Jeannie on November 17 2005 8:01 PM

...for they know not what they do? I'm not so sure about that Chester...but it's very gracious of you to give them the benefit of the doubt. My feeling is that if it isn't possible for others (ie: the teachers)then it should NOT be possible for the MLA's. And the fact that they can simply decide to give themselves a substantial raise (or any raise for that matter)....makes my stomach churn as well!

Posted by: Palopu on November 17 2005 8:15 PM

There is a huge difference in giving a 15% raise to 13000 teachers and giving a 2 or 3% raise to 79 MLA's. It seems to me that an MLA gets somewhere between 50 and 60 thousand a year. This would be about equal to the average salary of a school teacher, and approx $20,000.00 per year less than we pay our illustrious Mayor.
Im only guessing here, but maybe its within the realm of possibility that they deserve a raise?? Does anyone know exactly what they get paid, before we start kicking them. Ben????

Posted by: Ben Meisner on November 17 2005 8:58 PM

The Liberal MLA's salary "cut" was reinstated in June of this year, bringing their base salary to $75,400. This new increase pushes their salary to about $87 thousand. Pension details are not yet available.

Ben Meisner

Posted by: Tracy on November 17 2005 8:59 PM

Actually, for some it means that they receive a 20%+ pay raise (adding the summer raise to this fall raise and even more for cabinet ministers who have received a backdoor raise in their per diem rates at the taxpayer's expense). Yet public sector employees should take a pay cut, 0% or net zero (which is actually a pay cut) because there are more of them? How about investing money in the the Ministries of Health, Education or Children and Families if there is so much money to throw around? How many working people receive a fully indexed, rich pension after only 8 years of service?

The people of this province need to realize that they are being hoodwinked on a daily basis by a bunch of crooks. Shame on the Liberals and on the opposition.

Posted by: Chester on November 17 2005 9:47 PM

It's not about how much they make or how much they deserve.

It's about the flagrant timing of their announcement and how they've done it.

The gaul of this bunch of provincial leaders to announce a 15% hike in their own wages while the rest of the province has had to justify between 1% and what? 3% for the past 5 years or longer.

Time for a change? We have to decide how long we want to keep these people on payroll. If they are too long, they are entitled to padded pensions after only 8 years I understand. So, what do we do? Keep them around for 8 years, or dump them before their 8 years are up. Either way, they are going to continue feeding at the Provincial trough. I'm getting so very tired of this. Chester

Posted by: camoose on November 17 2005 10:45 PM

Let me get this straight, the same group that legislates benifits and wages away from hospital workers is the same group that now legislates themselves a big raise. Not only that, but a good pension also. This is the same group that took away it's own government retirees dental benifits, reduced medical and upped pharmacare. Cost eact one of those retirees about $1300. These pension benifits were promised as a condition of employment and belonging to a compulsary pension plan. I would like to know what their pension plan pays out after only 8 years. As my father was fond of saying."a passel of thieves". Don't give me the garbage about working hard and deserving a big raise. Just how many days do they sit in Victoria before they come home to run the hamburger stand or whatever when you can find them or get an answer from them. They are all tarred with the same brush and all want their nose in the taxpayers trough. Enough of this BS.

Posted by: Chadermando on November 18 2005 4:45 AM

The facts are that it all comes down to the system we use to elect them.

Our current system dominated by party politics is a system of controlled politicians mostly made up of people who seek power for personal gratification.

Our opportunity for change will come when we again get to vote on the BCSTV system that will change the dynamics of our democracy away from absolute party power to a more citizen based vote power.

This kind of preferential majority multi-candidate ballot system will open up opportunities for those who stand for principles, and those principled politicians will be our watchguards for good governance IMO.

Time Will Tell

Posted by: acrider54 on November 18 2005 6:19 AM

As I have said for the last five years, Campbell and cronies are a bunch useless people only in office to fill their pockets with our tax paying dollars and selling off crown corporations. Even the NDP voted for the raise, what kind of opposition do we have? I have been on the 0 0 and 0 for over eight years and got a whole 2% last April.

Posted by: rock on November 18 2005 7:37 AM

I think if you look at how much better the economy in B.C. is doing the liberals have decided to reward themselves.Hey at least they are rewarding themselves for actually doing a better job unlike the NDP when they ran the economy into the toilet then gave themselves the pot of gold.
Rock

Posted by: Mike on November 18 2005 9:00 AM

I see some people don't have any idea how much they pay themselves. We can't fix it either. The eight years will be up this term and I have every reason to believe they made it retroactive. After all they made a law regarding teachers retroactive even though the supreme court had previously made a decision in the teachers favor. These are dictators -- not governors. Live with it or start a revolution. Bloodshed is the only thing that works when dealing with corruption or government. (synonomous words--corruption and government)

Posted by: Death to Socialism on November 18 2005 10:21 AM

Headline should have read "Liberals and NDP hypocrites give themselves a raise.... shame!" The raise is BS, but so is pro-NDP bias on this site.

Posted by: myzz on November 18 2005 12:48 PM

Rock,your a politician, married to one,or your rich, cause any working person in this part of the province have been cut back the percent per year increase,and to see them STEAL our money,when heathcare,education and other services are in need of money.Thats just the start of whats to come.

Posted by: Kozmo on November 18 2005 1:47 PM

I can't believe we allow this to happen, just how arrogant can these people be. What the government has just done is provide not only the teachers, but Docors, Nurses, and other public sector employees who's contract is up next summer, with a pretty strong message that the province is rolling and expect at least a 15% raise in wages alone. You can't give to yourself and deny others! I don't think Rock is a politician because he has redneck views. He's most likely a lawyer, realtor, or a broker of some kind, someone who makes a living sponging from other peoples money.

Posted by: spider on November 18 2005 2:29 PM

A recall of MLAs next year would be a good way to express our disgust.
Shirley Bond is a deserving candidate for recall.

Posted by: Chadermando on November 18 2005 4:29 PM

Death to Socialism for the record I don't count myself as a NDP supporter.

I have never voted for the ndp because they don't respect democracy of the people and are to close to government unions which I find a conflict of interest.

I have never voted for the liberals because I feel they are the undemocratic voice of multinationals and not the people of Canada-BC.

Supporters of both the ndp and the liberals are sheep with no back bone that support any extreme idea that comes down from the 'party' elites.

I usually vote for an independent who takes a stand on principle. Soon we will be the majority.

Posted by: Death to Socialism on November 18 2005 4:49 PM

Chad, I'm not attacking any of the posters here, everyone is entitled to their beliefs. I just find it unsettling that many posters seem all too happy to overlook the fact that the NDP unanimously supported this raise.

Posted by: rock on November 21 2005 9:05 AM

Myzz,my comment was a negative one directed at the NDP(I still bare some of their scars from their last stint in power),I should have added that I too am disgusted with the pay raise,let's not kid ourselves the economy is better but it is not over the top great.Their timing sucks but on the other hand,where was the opposition,Ms James either way looks just as bad as Gordo and the gang.As far as Kozmo thinking I'm a lawyer c'mon I thought we wern't allowed to throw insults at each other.
Rock

Posted by: diplomat on November 21 2005 9:41 AM

It stinks how ALL OF THEM
have no conscience when it comes to lining up at the trough, socialists and capitalists alike!

Sacrifices are a great idea, as long as they are made by others!

The whole lot of them should be recalled!

Posted by: myzz on November 22 2005 12:27 AM

rock if you look,I put politician,and didn t mention a party,but still ,whats next"King Cambell".Sorry don t mean to be cynical,but we need a way to put the power back with the people.