Crown bosses’ salaries jump while workers take job action

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This article was published 04/07/2023 (826 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries’ former chief executive officer scored a handsome bonus in his final year with the Crown corporation, in which his total compensation was topped up by more than 25 per cent.

Manny Atwal was paid $395,723 in 2022, or 27.5 per cent more than in 2021, public-sector compensation reports show. He left the corporation to take a job in the private sector in mid-December after being president for three years and leading MLL to record profits in 2021-22.

Total compensation includes regular salary, overtime, retirement and severance payments, vacation payouts and other benefits.

Other top earners at the corporation included Robert Holmberg, vice-president of liquor and cannabis, who took home $246,807 (a 2.55 per cent increase from 2021) and acting CEO Gerry Sul, who earned $249,498 (a 1.74 per cent increase).

Former vice-president of marketing and communications Deanne Carson was paid $170,558 last year although she left the corporation in March 2022, as outlined by her online professional profile. Six MLL employees are listed as earning $200,000 or more.

• Read MLL’s 2022 compensation report (PDF)

Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union president Kyle Ross said it’s frustrating to hear about MLL executives receiving significant pay bumps while front-line workers are forced to make difficult financial decisions owing to meagre wage increases and the rising cost of living.

“It’s pretty disheartening,” Ross said. “It really shows the complete lack of respect for the front-line workers.”

Workers at the liquor Crown corporation voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate last week and rejected the latest offer from the employer. Employees at Liquor Marts and the provincial distribution centre have been without a contract since March 2022.

The MGEU said the corporation offered annual general wage increases of 1.5 and 1.75 per cent followed by two consecutive increases of two per cent. Previously, employees accepted two years of wage freezes followed by 0.75 and one per cent wage increases.

MLL’s proposed wage increases fall short of gains made by other workers in the private and public sectors, the union argued. Since 2017, some MLL executives and managers have received a cumulative double-digit pay increase while liquor workers received a cumulative 4.25 per cent bump, the union said.

“These people do a great job and they have families to support or they’re in university and I think they should be shown the same respect that we see for the execs,” Ross said.

At Manitoba Hydro, chief executive officer Jay Grewal continues to be the highest-paid executive at the province’s three main Crown corporations. Grewal earned $515,416 last year, which represents a roughly 0.4 per cent increase in her salary.

About 90 Manitoba Hydro employees earned $200,000 or more last year. Other top earners included operations vice-president Shane Mailey, who received $302,169 (a 5.2 per cent increase) and former strategy and enterprise planning director Robert Elder, who banked $309,809, following his retirement.

• Read Manitoba Hydro’s 2022 compensation report (PDF)

The corporation is facing its own labour challenges owing to wage disputes.

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2034 went on strike Friday after negotiations with the Crown corporation fell short of demands. About 2,300 electrical workers at the provincially owned utility rejected the corporation’s final offer last week.

The offer included a 1.75 per cent general wage increase for last year, and this year’s wage increase was to be determined through voluntary arbitration, as well as service recognition payments of $1,600, IBEW said. The union also went on strike in 2021 to fight the wage-freeze directive imposed by the Tories under premier Brian Pallister.

IBEW 2034 business manager Mike Espenell said it’s disappointing to see some executive compensation packages grow by about five per cent in one year while union members have had to strike for raises.

Competitive wages are critical to attracting and retaining workers at Manitoba Hydro, he said.

“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” Espenell said.

At Manitoba Public Insurance, former chief executive officer Eric Herbelin was the top earner last year, receiving $375,563.51 in 2022, or a 3.1 per cent increase compared to the year prior.

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• Read MPI’s 2022 compensation report (PDF)

Herbelin was fired in May following an internal review of his work-related conduct.

MPI’s former chief information and technology officer Siddhartha Parti earned $275,518 in 2022. He joined MPI in May 2021 and was paid $153,679 in his first year with the corporation.

Parti resigned on June 2 rather than move to Manitoba from Ontario, as requested by the board. MPI spent up to $19,000 to facilitate Parti’s travel to Manitoba during his time with the corporation.

Other MPI executives had their total compensation increase between 2.5 and 10 per cent last year.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca