CTF Responds to CUPE Campaign - Public Sector Growth Unsustainable

HALIFAX, NS: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) responded to a campaign launched by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) NS today called “Our Wages = Your Profits” saying its time to stand up to public sector unions and stop further massive public sector growth that is strangling the provincial economy.

The CTF points to new numbers from Statistics Canada that show from August 2010 to August 2011 government employment grew by 5.5% while private sector employment fell by 1.7% in Nova Scotia. (You can find the link HERE). Also the number of funded staff in the Nova Scotia government increased by a little over 14% since 2006 (Total FTE’s in 2006-07: 9,440 to 10,782 (estimate) in 2011-12). Meanwhile, the size of the Nova Scotia labour force has remained flat.

“Massive public sector employment growth is strangling the Nova Scotia economy and preventing the province from moving forward,” said Kevin Lacey, Atlantic Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “Increasing public sector growth is just putting more pressure on the average Nova Scotian who’s already shelling out the highest taxes in Canada.”

The CTF is urging governments to address the increasing costs of public sector salaries and benefits. As an example a recent study by the Federation found that just last year alone the number of Nova Scotia public servants earning $100,000 or more grew by 26 per cent. (Reference: HERE)

“Spending more six figure government salaries isn’t going to get a single new dollar to our children in our schools, to improve our front line health care or allow us to provide tax relief to over taxed Nova Scotians,” added Lacey.

Part of the CUPE campaign asks workers and those collecting a public sector pension to carry with them business cards to hand out to remind businesses of the “contributions” of public sector workers.

“CUPE should work to address the raising administration costs in government rather than attempting to bully business owners.” Says Lacey.

CUPE last week called CTF ‘slimy’ in their news release found HERE, for pointing out the facts of public sector wage growth, CTF responded on their website HERE.