As of 30th July, 2004, if you are not a Cpl in a "Spec" trade already making spec pay, you will no longer be eligible for spec pay until you are fully QL5 qualified effective 30, August 2004.
This means all of us people halfway through POET in Kingston and those waiting training in Borden have joined the CF anticipating 3 years of hard work and study in order to receive the reward of "Spec Pay" have been deceived! People receiving their Cpl stripes this September will NOT get spec pay yet people promoted in July WILL. Argghhhh. Calculating the time it iwll take to become QL5 qulaified and the cost of inflation/annual increases, the financial cost to technicians will be approximately $20,000 each, not including the reduction in benefits and pension. Given that most people will be barely QL3 if that when their initial contract expires, I am wondering how many people are going to consider resigning the military's gracious offer of cooks pay for specialist technicians work? I am amazed that after all of the studies identifying the need for an incentive package to retain and recruit technicians, escpecially FCS Techs, that now of all times they have introduced a wage rollback to the lowest paid members of the Forces?
Keep in mind this has no affect on Privates pay 1 - 3, only Corporals pay in Specialist 1 trades like FCS, AVS, ATIS etc.
What do you guys think?