(version française à suivre)
We have been reviewing the media releases as well as the policy publications from other police services across the country. The RCMP’s targeted, 28-day abstinence policy is short-sighted and not based on fact. CUPE National’s legal and health & safety teams are currently reviewing the policy and all appendices.
We had been assured by RCMP Labour Relations that we would be consulted, engaged, and allowed the opportunity to provide input prior to the policy being published. Unfortunately, the policy was published last week with no forewarning and no such engagement.
Despite not being consulted, since the policy has been published, we have forwarded concerns to RCMP Labour Relations, National Occupational Health & Safety Board, and the RCMP National Policy Health & Safety Committee.
We will continue to demand meaningful consultation with the goal being a fair and wholistic policy addressing impairment in the workplace. Such a policy should address all forms of workplace impairment, be uniform in its approach to all employees, promote education, be non-confrontational, and show trust that employees will report to work fit-for-duty.
The CUPE National Health & Safety Branch published the following article and fact-sheet in August 2018 addressing impairment in the workplace:
https://cupe.ca/management-impairment-workplace .