Unionized education workers have recently won wage increases, now some B.C. school trustees are asking for the same for administrators.
Non-unionized professionals, such as superintendents and principals, have been under a government-mandated wage freeze since 2011, but haven’t actually had pay adjustments since 2009, according to Bonnie Roller Routley, secretary-treasurer of the Okanagan Skaha School District.
At its meeting last week, the local school board received letters from five other districts calling on the B.C. Education Ministry to lift the freeze.
Roller Routley said Okanagan Skaha sent in its own letter last fall.
“We certainly support them lifting the freeze,” said school board chairwoman Linda Van Alphen.
“Other people have gotten raises within our education system, so perhaps it’s time for our excluded staff.”
Okanagan Skaha Teachers’ Union president Leslea Woodward said that prior to 2009, administrators typically received wage increases that mirrored those of unionized employees. She agreed the time is right for government to explore the issue.
“If (the pay increase) is along the lines of teachers then, yeah, that would be fair,” Woodward said.
Superintendent Wendy Hyer was Okanagan Skaha’s top paid employe with a salary of $148,003.39 for the 2014 fiscal year, according to the most recent statement of financial information.
Assistant superintendent Dave Burgoyne was next at $141,349.98, followed by director of instruction Don MacIntyre at $129,330.65 and Roller Routley at $125,765.26.
B.C. teachers in September ratified a six-year contract with a 7.25 per cent wage increase, while support staff in the Canadian Union of Public Employees in December signed a five-year deal with a 5.5 per cent pay hike.