Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The Sunshine List continues to grow


By Rik Ganderton, President and CEO

It’s still a few weeks before the annual Sunshine List is published by the Ministry of Finance. We will be publishing the Rouge Valley Health System (RVHS) list on our website concurrently with the official release by the Ministry of Finance on March 31, 2011. Our list will also have comparative information dating back to 2007.

The number of professionals employed by RVHS — at its two hospital campuses and mental health sites — earning more than $100,000 a year has increased from 46 people in 2007 to 142 in 2010.

View our list of RVHS staff who have appeared on the Sunshine List since 2007.

This is not surprising. Over the years, our list -- and that of all hospitals -- has grown to include more management and more union members in nursing and allied health professions.

The reason for this is not related to huge salary increases, but rather that the threshold figure of $100,000 has not been adjusted for inflation. It has remained at the 1996 level as set by the government at that time. Meanwhile, the inflation rate during the past 15 years has averaged about 2.5 per cent a year. Given inflationary increases, someone earning $71,000 in 1996, would now be earning $100,000. Put another way, earning $100,000 in 1996, is equivalent to making about $140,000 in 2010.

More and more unionized employees, who comprise the majority of employees at many hospitals, are now also the majority of those making more than the $100,000 threshold. In 2007, 17 per cent of our unionized employees were represented on the list. In 2010, the percentage of unionized staff earning over $100,000 increased to 58 per cent.

Most doctors, by the way, are not shown on our list because they are not hospital employees. Rather, doctors are independent contractors who bill the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) on a fee-for-service basis.

For more on the rationale of the Sunshine List, please visit the Ontario Ministry of Finance’s website at www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/publications/salarydisclosure/2011.

Please feel free to leave us any comments to this blog on this site or through emails to communityrelations@rougevalley.ca. Thank you.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damage Control

While the threshold may well not have been adjusted for inflation, neither has my public sector salary. I would also suggest that while the number of people earning $100 000 or more is indeed on the rise, for the majority of us $100k is still a magical number few if us will ever see.

Making it seem like it's no big deal is somewhat insulting.

Anonymous said...

The nurses making greater than 100,000.00 is because they have worked alot of overtime....nurses generally at the bedside make 80,000.00

Anonymous said...

Most people whose salaries are at $100,000 do some kind of overtime or bring work home. It's not just nurses who have to work a little extra to earn that much.

As for the first poster, people who earn this much money in healthcare have invested in themselves, either through their post secondary education or other forms professinal development. If you want to earn a $100,000 salary, then go to back to university and do some research on what career will get you there.

Stop hating on the people who did.

Anonymous said...

And here you go...

http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/publications/salarydisclosure/2011/

Yes, these salaries are the result of education, professional development and people bettering themselves. Many letters after your name equals many zeroes in your paycheck. Unfortunately, it does not equal competency, ability or even just general smarts.

I have no quarrel with the salaries that are being paid for the majority of these positions. It is the market rate as it were. It is the people holding these positions I find truly lacking.

Anonymous said...

Agree wholeheartedly with the April 1st poster. The amount of incompetence displayed by so many who have university degrees and letters behind their names is staggering. The March 28th post is a good example. Check the spelling of "professional" in that post, and the grammar and missing words. The last sentence certainly does not sound like it comes from an educated person. Common sense is important, as is a good work ethic. There is a difference between quality and quantity. Those who work extra hours for their high salary have my respect. Those who are in positions that pay in excess of $100,000 and really do not deserve it in terms of the value they add to the corporation are plentiful at Rouge Valley, unfortunately.

Anonymous said...

Another interesting thing to note:

While the OHA has frozen non-union employees wages for two years, Rougevalley's VP's have seen an average salary increase of over 9% in the last 2 years.

Rouge Valley Health System said...

In reference to the April 4th anonymous posting, please note that it is the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care which has frozen salaries of non-union staff at hospitals, and not the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA).
The facts about Rouge Valley's professionals on the "Sunshine List" are posted in this blog.
- RVHS

Anonymous said...

Regardless of who mandated the wage freeze for non-union staff, the fact remains that those who work on the front line are at a wage standstill while the executive team received an increase of 5%.

Rouge Valley Health System said...

Note: There have been no wage freezes for unionized positions. The wage freeze applies to non-union staff only. There have been only step increases for the non-union staff and no other increases in staff salaries.
- RVHS

Anonymous said...

NOTE:

None of my steps has ever equaled 5%

Anonymous said...

It is absolutely disgusting that the VP's have received approximately a 5% wage increase. Their salaries are already exorbitant. Why aren't such increases in line with those of other employees of the corporation?
Is this in line with our "lean" philosophy? The rich get richer, and those at lower levels work harder and harder for less. Not impressed at all by the management in this organization.

Anonymous said...

If you want to improve "customer service" you must have dedicated, motivated employees. How motivated do you think employees are when management rewards itself, and yet has no idea of what the front line is doing. They simply can't have any idea as they are in meetings constantly, which would be fine if these meetings were advancing the corporation or improving quality. And while they are away, those who are naturally "less motivated" to work are working less. The result is that others have to pick up the slack. They in turn get very disillusioned, and apathy sets in for them as well. Quality decreases. There is no substitute for good management, knowledgeable management, present management, which is respected. The lower level managers are carrying a huge burden, and don't even have time to get to know their units/employees. RVHS management needs to wake up and get back to basics.

Anonymous said...

Yes Nurses who earned 100000 and
more a year work over time.
Menagment allows RNs to work 16hrs
shift and to come next day for 12hrs shift- have they thaught what
impact it has on their patients
and care they provide. Most RNs
in Ontario have two jobs:full time,
and part-time. They anuall income
is > 100000.

Anonymous said...

I guess you can whine about the poor job others do and how much money they make, or you can do something about it; get the credentials and apply for their jobs.

For those who can't do, are left only to complain.