Deputy Ministers get 10% pay boost in Alberta

The Stelmach cabinet released details on the pay boost to Deputy Ministers and other senior government staff members today.

The result is a 10% pay boost for Deputy Ministers, up from the scheduled 4.8% hike they were to receive on April 1, 2008.

Deputy Ministers will now be earning $253,668 for April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009, up from $230,520 for April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008.

There are two points of interest, one that the Average Weekly Earnings of Albertans only went up by 4.5% during the same period, so this is more than double what most Albertans get. But, it’s still not the 30% the cabinet gave themselves. However, it could be argued that 10% is what the going rate is for senior management.

The second issue is that as recent as this past March, the government said that DM’s were going to get paid $241,584 effective April 1, 2008 to April 1, 2009, a 4.8% pay hike. Now, after the cabinet raises, that number jumps to 10%. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.

But again, the argument will likely be made that a 10% hike is not out of line with senior management, and they need to retain… blah, blah, blah.

Conclusion: I’d say that it’s a bit more than normal, and certainly more than what the government announced in March, but at least they didn’t give it to themselves and it wasn’t 30%.