While inflation is eating into the purchasing power of Quebecers, the Legault government has just granted salary increases of 6% over one year and one day to senior state officials.
“Our members held the state at arm’s length during the pandemic and they certainly deserve a catch-up equivalent to that of deputy ministers, especially given the inflation we are experiencing. The current situation is completely inequitable,” sighs Lydia Martel, first vice-president of the Syndicat de professionals et professionels du gouvernement du Québec (SPGQ).
“It’s unfair that taxpayers have suffered so that senior officials earn more money,” laments in turn Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
Yesterday the Quebec Official Gazette published a decree that reports salary increases of 6.08% between April 1, 2021 and April 2, 2022 for the mandarins of the Quebec state.
Three times more than some
By comparison, government professionals see their salaries increase by 2% per year, which is well below inflation.
For example, a deputy minister who earned $239,387 per year, in 2021, now earns $14,555 more.
Delegates general, responsible for representing Quebec abroad, received a minimum of $135,981 as of April 1, 2021. They now receive $144,249 in addition to indemnities and allowances for “cost of living”.
Senior civil servants will also benefit from retroactive increases of 1% for 2019-2020 and 1% for 2020-2021.
At the Minister of the Executive Council, it is pointed out that “as in the past, the salary scales of the holders of a higher position are increased by a percentage equal to the percentage of increase in the salary scales of the executives of the public service, at the same date”.
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com