So far the only justification I’ve heard regarding the Qualicum Beach union workers’ demand for a wage increase is that they want the same thing that the Parksville staff got.
Pardon me, but that just sounds like a whiny child: “how come he/she got more than me?!” If you want what the Parksville staff got, then go work in Parksville. Qualicum Beach is a much different place with a significantly smaller tax base.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-union. In fact, I support the theory in principal. It just seems to me that over the past few decades the union goal of “fair treatment and compensation for an honest day’s work” has somehow morphed into “how much more can I get?”
More money, more time off, more benefits, more security. Surely at some point the compensation is already fair, other than cost of living wage increases?
This shouldn’t be about getting the same thing someone else already got, it should be about what is fair to all parties: the worker, the employer and the taxpayer (who ultimately foots the bill in this case).
Fair compensation should be based on the education/skills required for the job, the cost of living and the current job market. I was a member of a couple of unions during my working career and was embarrassed by almost all of the demands they made, ostensibly on my behalf, even though I felt the pay and benefits we already received were more than fair.
Now, I don’t know any details around what the Qualicum union staff receive in terms of wages and benefits, so if any of them are willing to share those details to illustrate to me how they are being treated unfairly then I’m more than willing to support them.
I’m listening, convince me. Just don’t use the argument of what someone else has already received, it’s irrelevant. In the meantime, kudos to the Town of Qualicum Beach for standing up for the taxpayers on this issue. And a big thank-you to the non-union staff for stepping up and keeping things going on top of their regular duties, your efforts are much appreciated.
Carol DoeringQualicum Beach
