Salaries

Recently, I had dinner with a couple friends.  One, who is near retirement, happened to tell me how much she made.  It was not very much more than I made even though she has been in the field more than 20 years longer than me!  So, today I tried to log onto Impact's website to find the salary scale.  Impact is the trade union that negotiates salaries (they probably do other things also).  All speech therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists are on the same salary scales and there are salary scales for various professions.  However, I couldn't access the salary scales since you need to be a registered member to see how much you should be earning or have the probability to earn.

Anyway, since I couldn't get the information that way, I just looked on the job postings board for the physiotherapist ad since we are on the same salary scale.  According to that posting, the salary scale tops out after 12 years!  So, after working for 12 years you have no real raise potential until you retire unless you a)change careers, b) go into management, c) work for a private clinic.  There is also a specialist post scheme intended to help income potential and recognize specialists in the field.  However, there are only a few of these positions in the country and none of them are in intellectual disability.  

So, when people ask me about attrition in the field, I now have a bit more of an idea why it is so high.  Also, what incentive is there for expierence clinicians to stay in the public sector?  How does the country benefit from capping salaries so early in our careers?