Managerial Earnings

My commentary on Tuesday morning’s Employment Insurance release mentioned the simultaneous Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH) release.

The SEPH indicated that, from October 2008 through October 2009, average weekly earnings edged up 1.6% across all Canadian payrolls. Earnings fell in forestry, construction, manufacturing, and a few service industries.

But no one reported the most striking figure: earnings in “management of companies and enterprises” jumped 17%. It is difficult to tell exactly what this average means because it includes corporate executives, lower-ranking managers, and small proprietors who pay themselves modest salaries (either because their enterprises generate little income or because they avoid tax by collecting their income as dividends rather than as salary.)

I tried to at least insert this percentage into the public debate with the following letter printed in yesterday’s Globe and Mail:

The great escape

According to your On The Job sidebar (Factories Drive Rebound In Jobs Growth – Report on Business, Dec. 23), average weekly earnings rose by a meagre 1.6 per cent over the past year. The same Statistics Canada survey indicates the average weekly earnings of business managers increased by 17 per cent, more than 10 times as much. The people who caused the economic crisis appear to have escaped its consequences.

Erin Weir, economist, United Steelworkers, Toronto

3 comments

  • It may be relevant that the same category showed a steep decline for the period October 2007 to October 2008, according to Statscan data.

  • Campbell and Hansen, have been trying to get BC residents, to accept the HST. That, managerial raise of 17%, just goes to show, that, big business, will not be passing, their savings on to the consumer. They could, give themselves a 53% increase, which, is how much Campbell, gave himself. Big business, also have the money, to support the political party, that favors them. Campbell and Hansen, used lying deceit, so Campbell would be re-elected. Harpo, Iggy, Gordo, and Hansen, have such low characters, we, must never, take their words on anything, ever again. The two top reasons for corruption in Canada, are, our politicians and the RCMP. Canada, has been disgraced many times, for their corruption. These days, corruption and greed, rule this country.

  • Would not 17% increase, in management, not show, the HST, is not going to benefit consumers, just big corporations. Suspect, of our governments honesty is, one huge question. Millions of Canadian citizens, have no faith in our government rulers, they are not worthy. Their lying and deceit pretty much proves that. Because, corruption is so rampant in Canada. There are not enough, wage earners, low income earners, and seniors, to keep up with all the corruption. So, the government has to keep raising taxes. Governing officials, are responsible for the corruption in Canada, and this has always been so. Government staff, should be cut by 40%, Officials expenses, should be cut, by 50%, salary’s, should be rolled back by 40%, except for Gordon Campbell, his salary, should be rolled back 53%. It would take no time at all to get out of the engineered recession.

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