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If you work in the private sector in Atlantic Canada, here’s some news that might make your coffee taste a little bitter.

A new study shows government workers in the region aren’t just better paid. They also retire earlier, take more time off, and enjoy gold-plated pensions most private workers can only dream of.

And it’s all paid for by… you.

Federal Civil Servants say they have a better work-life balance when working from home.

Now they say productivity will decrease.....
All because they have to go into the office 3 days a week starting Sept 9th.
pic.twitter.com/Tnr5Q6gOTX

— TheRealMrBench (@therealmrbench) September 5, 2024

A new report from the Fraser Institute finds government employees in Atlantic Canada earn more money and significantly better benefits than comparable private-sector workers.

After adjusting for age, education, job type and experience, public-sector workers earned 6.3 per cent higher wages than private-sector workers in 2024.

Even after accounting for unionization — because yes, that matters — government workers still made nearly four per cent more.

But the real gap isn’t just in pay. It’s in perks.

More than 60 per cent of government workers in Atlantic Canada have a registered pension plan. In the private sector? Less than 25 per cent.

And not just any pension, government workers are far more likely to have defined-benefit pensions, meaning guaranteed income in retirement. Private-sector workers mostly get defined-contribution plans, if they’re lucky enough to get a pension at all.

Then there’s retirement age.

Public-sector workers retire two-and-a-half to more than four years earlier than private-sector workers, depending on the province.

Translation: fewer years working, more years collecting.

Government workers are also far less likely to lose their jobs, according to the report — and they take substantially more personal leave.

In 2024, full-time public-sector workers in Atlantic Canada took between 15 and 20 days off for personal reasons.

Private-sector workers? Eight to 11 days.

The Fraser Institute says these gaps matter, especially as provincial governments face rising debt, aging populations, and ballooning public-sector payrolls.

Their recommendation: bring government compensation more in line with the private sector to reduce costs without cutting services.

Millions of taxpayers are working longer, retiring later, and footing the bill for people who think it's a human right to work from home.

TOO MUCH TO ASK: Striking PSAC employees display appalling sense of entitlement. “The fact that they’re mandating us going back to work 2 days a week doesn’t make sense.”

“Going to work is risking getting sick” explains another ignoring what other working Canadians do every day. pic.twitter.com/v286Ygw2Yb

— Rowan (@canmericanized) April 20, 2023

So next time a politician says “we’re all in this together,” remember: some people have better pensions, more time off, and earlier retirements than others.