Le Blogue Broadbent


Greedy unions? Not so much

Looking for someone to blame for Canada’s economic ills and fiscal problems?

Well, don’t blame supposedly greedy unions. (Here's looking at you, Tony Clement.)

According to statistics from Labour Canada, highlighted on Thursday, the average union wage settlement in 2012 hit a 14-year low of 1.7%. This barely matched the inflation rate of 1.6%.

Public sector settlements averaged just 1.7% as well, and many workers were hit by outright pay freezes.

These settlements locking in low wage increases will last for an average of three years.

Community economies surely cannot prosper if working families are failing to make progress.

Photo: underneath. Used under a Creative Commons BY 2.0 licence.