Bargaining Update
2021-03-10
We continue to be engaged in bargaining our first collective agreement with the employer. It is a slow process but there is still a lot of work going on. One of the first major milestones in bargaining is the exchange of proposals. We have our proposal ready to go and the official exchange will be taking place very soon.
Our Bargaining Committee meets regularly to discuss and review our proposal and strategies. This is the most important task we are currently working on. We must have a collective agreement that will blend the CMs, PSs, IMs, and TOs and ensure that the disparity created by the employer is corrected while considering the unique needs of each group.
Bargaining in good faith involves a great deal of confidentiality. We cannot share specific points in the proposed agreement until it comes time for a ratification vote. We must also not publicly share priority items or negotiating strategies because then the employer would know what is most important to us. However, we will continue to keep everyone updated with the major milestones of the collective bargaining process.
2.3% Market Adjustment
2021-03-10
Our unfair labour practice complaint with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB) is still very active and one of our top priorities. In 2016, the 2.3% market adjustment portion of our raises was unfairly withheld by the employer. All our members should have received this 2.3%.
Lawyers on both sides of this complaint are actively engaged in discussions to sort out the outstanding disclosure issue before we can head back to a hearing. We previously requested information from the employer and they are claiming that information is protected by Cabinet Confidence. This is the cause of these latest delays and we are working through them.
The Public Service Police Operations Support group (PO – TCO and IMA subgroups) is pay matched to the Civilian Member Law Enforcement Support group (LES – IM and TO subgroups). These groups are pay matched to the Regular Member (RM) pay and have been decades. This may change during the collective bargaining process; however, our position is that it has not changed yet and no changes to this pay structure has ever been communicated to us.
In 2016, RMs were given a 2.3% market adjustment pay increase and we were denied this same pay increase. Around the same time, we applied for union certification and the RCMP has been trying to re-write history after the fact. We will not let this go. By all accounts, we should have been provided this same pay increase in 2016 and we will keep fighting to make sure that we get it.
This issue affects every single one of us and we will not give up on such an important matter.