Prosecutor raises won't stem exodus: union
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | 6:27 PM MT
CBC News
An arbitrator has ruled the federal government should raise salaries for federal prosecutors by 7.8 per cent for the four years dating back to May 10, 2006, and a further 1.5 per cent in May 2010.
But the union representing the prosecutors says the raise will do little to retain prosecutors, who have been leaving for much higher-paying jobs with provincial justice departments.
"We still lag behind our provincial counterparts, for example in Alberta, by roughly 10 to 15 per cent, depending on where you fall in the classification," said Marco Mendicino, president of the Association of Justice Counsel, the national union representing federal prosecutors.
"In some places, it's more than that. I also think it's quite ironic that our entry level lawyers on a national rate are getting paid less than some articling students are getting paid in some provinces."
Salary data from September 2008 show a provincial prosecutor in Alberta started at $70,488, and a federal prosecutor at $54,580.
Federal prosecutors were organized in 2006 and are negotiating with the Treasury Board for a first contract.
Both sides are reviewing the arbitration decision to determine if they will file an appeal.
