Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) executives gave themselves and their colleagues a raise.

The RSU released its 2016/2017 budget proposals this week and $5,000 was added to each executive salary from what was originally budgeted last year.

Last academic year, the RSU president made $29,950, vice president operations made $29,465, vice president of equity made $29,554, vice president of education made $29,702 and vice president of student life and events made $29,808. The executive salaries are now proposed to be $36,000 each.

Vice president operations Neal Muthreja said he and his colleagues on the executive routinely exceed the work schedule they are officially paid for. Their increase in pay was to compensate their overtime, as well as keep up with the rising cost of living, Muthreja said.

RSU president Obaid Ullah also said the high cost of food as well as commuting in Toronto was why they decided on the pay increase.

Last year, a motion submitted at an RSU annual general meeting requested a jump in salary for executives. The motion was pushed to the next RSU board of directors meeting and did not pass.

The executive salary increase was part of a pay increase shared across the RSU. All salaries for part-time RSU staff were raised to $15 per hour from previous years, when it was $12.50 per hour. It was the raise for the RSU staff that Muthreja said was the main priority for the executive.