In a recent Toronto Star Article OPSEU President Smokey Thomas has voiced an idea that many of us with the OPS IT community have been trying to be made heard. The idea is that a equivalent Sunshine List be created for Fee for Service consultants. The Toronto Star article quotes Smokey as saying that the legislation “doesn't go far enough” and the sunshine list of public servants earning $100,000 a year and up should be expanded to include private contractors working for governments. Thank you Smokey for unknowingly supporting what many IT workers in AMAPCEO have been talking about.
The most recent count that we have tells us that there were roughly 1800 Information Technology Fee for Service Consultants working within the OPS during this fiscal year. The projections are that there will be more Fee for Service Consultants hired in the new fiscal year as new business requirements result in new projects that require Information Technology to become reality.
Lets look at what some Fee for Service Consultants can make using the daily rates set by the Government of Ontario. I'll use IT Architects as the example because I am one and am most familiar with that group. Lets annualise those rates over a fiscal year. It becomes readily apparent that the payments to Fee for Service Consultants are much higher than that paid to AMAPCEO represented employees for equivalent services.
| Role | Min Salary | Avg Salary | Max Salary | Median |
| Application Architect 1 | $ 73,515 | $ 125,071 | $ 152,945 | $ 124,722 |
| Application Architect 2 | $ 104,273 | $ 156,436 | $ 198,575 | $ 156,325 |
| Application Architect 3 | $ 122,525 | $ 188,083 | $ 236,600 | $ 185,900 |
| Business Architect 1 | $ 73,515 | $ 125,229 | $ 156,832 | $ 126,750 |
| Business Architect 2 | $ 104,273 | $ 156,982 | $ 194,350 | $ 158,860 |
| Business Architect 3 | $ 122,525 | $ 188,170 | $ 236,600 | $ 185,900 |
| Data Architect/Modeller 1 | $ 73,515 | $ 120,443 | $ 152,945 | $ 118,300 |
| Data Architect/Modeller 2 | $ 98,020 | $ 149,459 | $ 186,238 | $ 149,143 |
| Data Architect/Modeller 3 | $ 122,525 | $ 180,764 | $ 228,150 | $ 179,732 |
| Information Architect 1 | $ 73,515 | $ 122,949 | $ 158,860 | $ 122,525 |
| Information Architect 2 | $ 104,273 | $ 153,974 | $ 194,350 | $ 152,100 |
| Information Architect 3 | $ 122,525 | $ 185,152 | $ 236,600 | $ 185,900 |
| Security Architect 1 | $ 73,515 | $ 128,132 | $ 160,550 | $ 126,750 |
| Security Architect 2 | $ 104,273 | $ 161,147 | $ 202,800 | $ 160,550 |
| Security Architect 3 | $ 147,030 | $ 193,618 | $ 245,050 | $ 194,350 |
| Solutions Designer 1 | $ 73,515 | $ 113,087 | $ 147,030 | $ 114,920 |
| Solutions Designer 2 | $ 94,978 | $ 140,910 | $ 183,872 | $ 139,425 |
| Solutions Designer 3 | $ 114,920 | $ 166,054 | $ 214,630 | $ 167,141 |
| Technical Architect 1 | $ 73,515 | $ 125,450 | $ 160,550 | $ 125,060 |
| Technical Architect 2 | $ 104,273 | $ 155,440 | $ 194,350 | $ 155,903 |
| Technical Architect 3 | $ 122,525 | $ 185,581 | $ 228,150 | $ 185,731 |
It is clear to see from here that almost all the Fee for Service Consultants make it to the Sunshine List if they are paid the minimum rate let alone the average salary.
Just for reference a new employee entering any of those positions will earn at most $99,600 while the Fee for Service person sitting in the next cubicle is making much much more -- without their salary being frozen. At these pay rates the OPS unionised employee will beat out any Fee for Service Contractor if they were required to compete for work within the OPS.
So I say bring it on! If the Wynne government wants to be transparent and accountable post the Fee for Service Sunshine List and let the Ontario Tax Payer know exactly how much they are paying for private contractors. Let the Ontario Tax payer decide where they are getting value for money.
