Sunshine list shows 787 Nalcor employees made $100K or more

Numbers released Friday show 787people employed by Nalcor, the province's energy corporation, and its subsidiariesearned more than $100,000 in salaries and bonuses last year.

The executive vice-president in charge of the delayed and over-budget Muskrat Falls project, Gilbert Bennett, was paid a $35,700 bonus in addition to his salary of $279,200.

The information is included on a Sunshine Listof people who made more than $100,000 in 2016 while working for the Newfoundland and Labrador government or its boards and agencies.

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It's the first time the province has published such a list, whichshows some workers, such as dozens of intra-provincial ferry service employees, made more in overtime than base pay.

Not surprisingly, the list includes physicians with one medical oncologist at Eastern Health earning $617,000.

Another top earner with thehealth authority was a pathologist who made $439,700 in 2016. The CEO, David Diamond, was paid $349,800.

Three doctors with the Labrador-Grenfell Health Authority also took home more than $400,000, as did one employed with Central Health.

At Memorial University, which is weathering budget cuts that forced fee hikes and higher tuitionfor some students, 1,065 professors, administrators and managers made the list.

Three instructors in a now-suspended respiratory therapy program at the College of the North Atlantic also earned more than $100,000 in 2016, during a year the program was on probation.

Unions such as the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers Association have complained about names being made public, saying it leaves people open to gossip and criticism.

However, the provincial Employers' Council argue transparency is needed because the salaries are covered by taxpayers.

As for the bonus paid to Gilbert Bennett,Nalcor'svice president in charge of power development, the company said it was based on short-term incentives defined in early 2015.

In an email to CBC News, the company said the incentive program has been reviewed and changes made.

"Included in this change is a greater focus related to costs and schedule of the Muskrat Falls project," the statement reads.