Teacher Wage Rollbacks?
President Bruseker Examines the Numbers
The Prentice Government has been tossing up the trial balloon of rolling back public sector salaries of late. As such, it may be useful to closely examine what has actually happened to salary increases since 2010.
It seems the only areas where there has been unsustainable growth in salaries are among those elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta [Table 1].
Table 2 shows what teacher salaries would look like if teachers had enjoyed the same rate of increase as those elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
Table 3, by contrast, shows what the salaries for elected officials would look like if politicians’ rate of increase was as constrained as that for teachers.
Table 1: Salary comparisons
|
|
MLA 5
|
% Increase
|
Cabinet Minister 5
|
% Increase
|
Premier 5
|
% Increase
|
Average
Teacher 4
|
% Increase
|
|
2010
|
$78,138 1
|
0
|
$142,050 2
|
0
|
$159,450 3
|
0
|
$84,267
|
+2.92
|
|
2011
|
$78,138 1
|
0
|
$142,050 2
|
0
|
$159,450 3
|
0
|
$91,469
|
+4.54
|
|
2012
|
$134,000
|
+71.5
|
$201,000
|
+41.5
|
$217,750
|
+37
|
$91,469
|
0
|
|
2013
|
$134,000
|
0
|
$201,000
|
0
|
$217,750
|
0
|
$91,469
|
0
|
|
2014
|
$134,000
|
0
|
$201,000
|
0
|
$217,750
|
0
|
$91,844
|
+0.41
|
|
2015
|
$127,300
|
-5
|
$190,950
|
-5
|
$206,862
|
-5
|
$93,681
|
+2
|
|
Net Increase 2010/15
|
$ 49,162
|
+63
|
$48,900
|
+34
|
$47,412
|
+30
|
$ 9,414
|
+11
|
Notes
- $52, 092 was taxable income. $26,046 was a tax-free allowance.
- $116,004 was taxable income. $26,046 was a tax-free allowance.
- $133,404 was taxable income. $26,046 was a tax-free allowance.
The tax-free allowance was eliminated April 23, 2012.
- “Average teacher” refers to a CBE teacher with 5 years of post-secondary education after 9 years of teaching experience.
- There are no similar criteria for elected officials. Salaries listed are earned from the first day of election.
Table 2: Adjusted Teacher Salary Comparisons
|
Year
|
|
Teacher Salary
|
|
2010
|
Actual
|
$ 84,267
|
|
2015
|
With cumulative 11% increase September 1, 2010 - 2015
|
$ 93,681
|
|
2015
|
Adjusted to match 30% cumulative increase in
Premier’s salary
April 1, 2010 - 2015
|
$109,547
|
|
2015
|
Adjusted to match 34% cumulative increase in
Cabinet minister’s salary
April 1, 2010 - 2015
|
$112,917
|
|
2015
|
Adjusted to match 63% cumulative increase in MLA salary
April 1, 2010 - 2015
|
$137,355
|
Table 3: Compensation for Elected Officials Matching Teacher Salary Increases
|
|
2010 actual salary
|
2015 projected (with 5% rollback)
|
2015 salary matching teacher 11% increase 2010 - 2015
|
|
MLA
|
$ 78,138
|
$127, 300
|
$ 86, 733
|
|
Cabinet Minister
|
$142,050
|
$190,950
|
$ 157,675
|
|
Premier
|
$159,450
|
$206,862
|
$ 176,989
|
