BC employee weekly earnings decreased ... take home pay less than Alberta, Newfoundland / Labrador, Ontario, and Saskatchewan

Further to my post of April 24^th, entitled, “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs indicates that needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to needs higher up”, BC Stats / Infoline has released an update that included the following disappointing news: 

Average weekly earnings (including overtime) of payroll employees in British Columbia were $969.20 in February (seasonally adjusted, current dollars) ... or $5.64 less than in the previous month. 

HERE’S THE KICKER TO THAT HOWEVER.

The earnings of employees in BC were $171.73 LESS per month than workers in neighbouring Alberta ($1,140.93).  That’s over two grand less BC workers are earning, and being able to contribute to the economy of our province.

BC workers also earned $67 a week less than those in Newfoundland / Labrador ($1,036.12), $57 less than those in Ontario ($1,025.95) as well as $56 a week less than workers in Saskatchewan ($1,025.18).

Meantime while BC workers play second fiddle to workers in other provinces, John Horgan was continuing his fight yesterday with Jason Kenney's Alberta government, and Tweeting thing such as:

• #InternationalWorkersDay is a chance to celebrate and recognize the incredible achievements of workers who fought for things we often take for granted

Now of course it’s important to recognize the importance and achievements workers have made in the past.  Still however, we need to realize the actions of our present government are ensuring earnings of BC workers are less than they should be – as are the number of people that could and should be employed.

Fighting with Alberta is NOT going to improve that ... it’s not going to see better earnings for BC workers ... and it’s not going to see more women and men employed at high paying jobs.

No, instead of doing everything possible to see these things happen, the BC NDP government continues to put roadblocks in place against clean environmentally regulated, and protected, resource development.  That includes the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion!

Peace River MLA MLA Mike Bernier commented to me, “The BC NDP have been saying all along that they will use every tool in the tool box to stop the Trans Mountain Pipeline from being built”.

“It is time for the NDP to actually work with other Provinces, the Federal government, and (resource) companies to help the people of BC.” 

 “It’s time to build the pipeline”, he concluded.

It’s also time BC workers stopped earning over $2,000 less a year than other western Canadian provinces including Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

It’s time to get things done – not just when it comes to approval of projects such as the Trans Mountain expansion ... but also all mining and resource jobs. 

At $119,000, the average annual total compensation per job in the mining industry is nearly twice the all-industry average of $60,000 (Source -- Natural Resources Canada).

It’s time to Git ‘er done!