The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
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On October 23, PIPSC President Debi Daviau met with RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki. The meeting was constructive and the RCMP Commissioner expressed concern for the well-being of our members along with a commitment to delay the transfer of RCMP civilian members onto Phoenix until the system is stable.

President Daviau made clear that we expect it to be years before Phoenix is stable and that we oppose the transfer of RCMP civilian members to Phoenix. She stated our position in the most recent meeting and in a follow-up letter:

November 6, 2019

Brenda Lucki
Commissioner Royal Canadian Mounted Police
RCMP National Headquarters
73 Leikin Drive
Ottawa ON K1A 0R2

By email: Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

Commissioner Lucki,

I am writing as a follow-up to our October 23, 2019 meeting, during which you requested a short briefing note summarizing the Institute’s position and concerns regarding the potential transfer of our Civilian Members to the troubled Phoenix pay system. Please see below for our comments in that regard.

Ours was a constructive discussion that bodes well for our future working relationship. I believe you are genuinely concerned about the well-being of our members and that you are committed to holding off on the transfer until such time as Phoenix has achieved stability. While I respect your position, I must reiterate my view, and that of my members, the government’s own Information Technology specialists, that it may take years before we reach that stage, if at all.

I look forward to our continued dialogue on this and related issues.

Sincerely,

Debi Daviau
President
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada


PIPSC Position:

After three years of fighting for tens of thousands of our members who are suffering under Phoenix, there is absolutely no justification for exposing RCMP Civilian Members to the same problems.

Our members deserve better and are counting on the Commissioner’s leadership to make the right, evidence-based decision: additional RCMP members should not be transferred to the Phoenix system under any circumstances, given its inherent instability and inability to handle its current workload.

Phoenix Facts:

(1) Performance levels continue to fall far short of standard

Despite optimism earlier this year regarding improved percentage of transactions processed within the service standard, the Pay Centre’s performance level has plateaued at 64% for the past six months. The target service standard remains at 95%.  This means that one out of every three pay transactions is not being processed in accordance with the service standard.

As well, new collective agreement transactions will place additional burdens on the struggling pay system. We are anticipating a spike in the backlog in the weeks and months ahead.

(2) RCMP measures being put in place are an acknowledgment that serious problems are anticipated

Notably, steps are being taken to modify the current pay system to facilitate post-deeming retro pay when these agreements have been negotiated and implemented, including development of a special script to facilitate pension contributions.  Onboarding of civilian members is also expected to require a complex set of processes and procedures.

Despite all of these extraordinary efforts, the RCMP is unable to remedy the ongoing instability and inadequacy of the pay system to meet recurring day-to day demands.

(3) Phoenix has already taken a heavy toll on existing RCMP public servants

The RCMP identifies a peak backlog of 32,840 RCMP cases in August 2018, reduced to 14,867 cases as of September 18, 2019. With 6,670 public servants employed within the RCMP in 2018, on average at peak there were 5 pay cases per employee. After one year of work to clear the backlog, there are still 14,867 cases outstanding - an average of 2.25 per employee.

These statistics don’t adequately convey the human consequences of pay errors on employees, and our Civilian Members are rightly concerned that Phoenix will jeopardize their financial security.

Published on 18 November 2019

Last week, PIPSC President Debi Daviau had her first face-to-face discussion with RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki. It was a positive meeting that bodes well for our future work together on workplace improvements for our RCMP members.

While the focus of the meeting was the proposed transition to the Phoenix pay system, they covered many issues. Commissioner Lucki seems to be genuinely in touch with and concerned about the wellbeing of the RCMP workforce. President Daviau took the time to clearly lay out the profound apprehensions and opposition to the transition to Phoenix. Commissioner Lucki expressed concern over the transition and outlined the many questions she had brought forward to the Treasury Board and Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Commissioner Lucki reported that she is committed to monitoring Phoenix testing and ensuring that it is rigorous. She does not want to transfer members until she is convinced the system is sound.

“We must remain very vigilant and continue to monitor the situation closely,” said President Daviau. “There is no reason to add anyone to the failing Phoenix pay system.”

President Daviau and your PIPSC representatives will be keeping a close eye on this issue over the coming months and will communicate any additional information received.

Published on 31 October 2019

On May 1, 2019 President Debi Daviau communicated our strong opposition to moving RCMP civilian members to the failed Phoenix pay system. RCMP Commissioner Lucki responded May 16 indicating her plans to go ahead. 

We are not backing down, and President Daviau has responded making that clear below:
 

Brenda Lucki,
Commissioner Royal Canadian Mounted Police
RCMP National Headquarters
73 Leikin Drive
Ottawa ON K1A 0R2


July 25, 2019

Commissioner Lucki,

Thank you for your prompt reply to my May 1, 2019 letter regarding the eventual transfer of some 1300 Civilian Members (CMs) of the RCMP represented by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada to the Phoenix pay system.

I recognize that the RCMP, the Treasury Board Secretariat and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) have taken a number of steps to mitigate the effects of the disastrous Phoenix system on federal employees. These actions have proved insufficient in resolving the pay issues experienced by hundreds of thousands of public servants across Canada. Progress in this regard has been incremental at best.

The size of the backlog of unresolved pay issues at the Public Service Pay Centre, the recent signing of several large collective agreements without the last round of agreements even yet being fully implemented, and the government’s own ongoing search for a replacement system unmistakably signal the need to stay away from Phoenix, not to add to its already unmanageable workload.

Given this sad state of affairs, I can only disagree in the strongest terms with your statement that “it would be premature to make decisions concerning the pay system”. On the contrary, the ability to pay its employees correctly and on time should be an immediate concern for the RCMP, not an afterthought.

Nearly 600 PIPSC members working at the RCMP have emailed you urging that all plans to switch Civilian Members to the disastrous Phoenix pay system be abandoned. I hope you will take into consideration their grave concerns and make the right decision.

This issue must be resolved as soon as possible, and I have asked my staff to contact your office in order to set-up a meeting in the days ahead. 

Sincerely,

Debi Daviau
President
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada

Published on 26 July 2019

The RCMP Civilian Member (CM) bargaining team has finalized a memorandum of agreement to transition RCMP CMs into PIPSC collective agreements upon deeming.

On July 19, a webinar was held to go over the highlights of the agreement and answer your questions. If you were unable to join us live, watch the recording.

RCMP Civilian Member Webinar - July 19, 2019 - 11 AM session.

RCMP Civilian Member Webinar - July 19, 2019 - 3 PM session.

Webinaire avec les membres de la GRC - 19 juillet 2019.

Published on 24 July 2019

A Few Notes About This Summary

The table below does not identify every provision of the collective agreements which do not have a comparable provisions within the RCMP Terms and Conditions of Employment. This document is only intended to be a guide for Civilian Members under PIPSC and may not be accurately reflective of the differences between Civilian Members in other unions. Furthermore, it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every variance between the source documents. For accurate reference, users should refer to the applicable source documents; e.g. RCMP policies/manuals and the applicable collective agreements.

Questions or concerns with respect to the contents of the document should be forwarded to civilian_members@pipsc.ca

Terms & Conditions Comparison Summary - Outcome

a) Hours of Work

RCMP

40 hours per week, including 30 minute paid meal break

PIPSC TB

37.5 hours per week, exclusive of 30 minute unpaid meal break

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

b) Meal Break

RCMP

30 minute paid meal break at regular rate of pay

PIPSC TB

- 30 minute unpaid lunch

- Overtime applies if required to work through lunch

- Two fifteen minute paid health breaks (depending on the collective agreement)

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

c) Designated Paid Holidays

RCMP

11 designated paid holidays

PIPSC TB

Same + “one additional day when proclaimed by an Act of Parliament as a National Holiday”

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

d) Schedules and Shifts

RCMP

-Schedules are posted 28 days in advance

-Duration of schedules are for at least 28 consecutive calendar days

-Shifts are between 8 and 12 hours

PIPSC TB

-Schedules are posted 21 days in advance
-Duration for schedules are for a minimum of 28 consecutive days to a maximum of 2 months
-Shifts are between 7 and 9 hours

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

e) Lieu Time

RCMP

-Hard cap on bank of 80 hours, that can be carried over indefinitely

-160 hour bank for limited duration posts or isolated posts
-Payout is based on substantive position’s rate of pay on March 31st of the previous fiscal year

PIPSC TB

No cap on bank, however excess of 37.5 hours is cashed out by September 30th, based on hourly wage on March 31st of the previous fiscal year (depending on the collective agreement)

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies
  • Credits will be maintained at existing levels upon deeming and will not be prorated to reflect the change from a 40 hour workweek to a 37.5 hour work week.
  • Maximum carry-over provisions under the collective agreement will not apply until March 31, 2021, with excess amounts paid out at new hourly rate.

f) Operational Availability (Stand-by)

RCMP

1 hour of pay for each 8 hour period of Operational Availability

PIPSC TB

Similar (0.5 hour of pay for each 4 hour period of standby)

OUTCOME

  • OA and OR will no longer apply to CMs.
  • CMs that are required to be readily available on stand-by (OA) during off duty hours will be compensated in accordance with the Stand-By provisions of the collective agreement.

g) Operational Readiness (Stand-by)

RCMP

1 hour of pay for each 4 hour period of Operational Readiness

PIPSC TB

No provision

OUTCOME

  • CMs that are required to remain on a worksite (OR) during off duty hours will be compensated in accordance with the overtime provisions of the collective agreement.

h) Overtime

RCMP

-Offers OT at 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5 times regular rate of pay, depending on duration, RTO or TOW
-Working additional hours on TOW in excess of actual scheduled hours of work, grants 1.5 times regular rate of pay
-Working an RTO or on 1st and 2nd day when recalled to duty from vacation leave or LTO, grants 2.0 times regular rate of pay

PIPSC TB

-Offers OT at 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5 times regular rate of pay, depending on duration, rest day, etc.

- Higher hourly rate of pay (6.67%) for calculating overtime

-Members can qualify for OT at 2.0 times rate of pay if they work excess of 7.5 hours of OT on a regular workday, excess of 7.5 hours on 1st day of rest, or work on 2nd consecutive day of rest and subsequent days of rest

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

i) Call-back

RCMP

Minimum of 3 hours pay at applicable rate if called-back to work after scheduled shift

PIPSC TB

Minimum of 3 hours pay at applicable rate if called-back to work after scheduled shift

-Depending on the collective agreement, subject to a cap of 8 hours pay in an 8 hour period or compensation at the applicable overtime rate for time worked; whichever is greater

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

j) Court-Related Provisions

RCMP

-Court Duty: During a regular shift, member will receive regular pay for attending court arising out of their duties, and overtime pay for court attendance and court related work performed outside of a scheduled shift
-Court Leave With Pay: Same as PIPSC TB

PIPSC TB

Court Leave With Pay is- triggered for non-employment related matters (called as a witness, etc.)

OUTCOME

  • CMs required to travel to and/or attend court for reasons related to the performance of her or his authorized duties (i.e. non-personal reasons) shall be considered on duty at the applicable rate.

k) Designated Paid Holidays Premium

RCMP

-Regular pay plus premium of 1.5x straight time hourly wage for all hours worked on DPH

PIPSC TB

Regular pay plus premium of 1.5x for first 7.5 hours of a shift and 2.0x thereafter, or 2.0x for all overtime hours worked on a holiday contiguous to a day of rest

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

l) Meal Break Premium

RCMP

-Premium is equal to 1.5 times regular rate of pay for the duration of the meal break for meal period not taken

-Triggers after every 4 hours of OT

PIPSC TB

-Meal allowance of $10.50 or $12 (unless free meals are provided), plus premium pay for working additional hours and reasonable time with pay for the meal period

-Triggers after 3 hours of OT, and every 4 hours thereafter

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

m) Shift Premium

RCMP

$2 shift premium per hour for eligible hour worked between 1600 and 0800
-No shift premium for overtime

PIPSC TB

- $2 shift premium per hour for each hour worked between 1600 and 0800 (including overtime hours)

- $ 2 weekend premium per hour, including overtime, on Saturday and Sunday

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

n) Acting Assignments

RCMP

-Qualifying period is 5 consecutive days
-Duration of acting assignment is limited to 4 or 6 months at a time, subject to language requirements and unless an extension is authorized

-Acting pay is not pensionable

PIPSC TB

-Qualifying period is between 3 to 5 consecutive days (depending on the collective agreement)
-No specified duration before acting assignment ends – can be indefinitely renewed

-Acting pay is pensionable

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

o) Annual Leave Accrual

RCMP

0-5 years service 15 days

5-10 years service 20 days

10-23 years service 25 days

23+ years service 30 days

-Earn monthly annual leave entitlement after receiving pay for at least 8 hours in a month

PIPSC TB

0-8 years service 15 days

8-16 years service 20 days

16-17 years service 22 days

17-18 years service 23 days

18-27 years service 25 days

27-28 years service 27 days

28+ years service 30 days

-Earn monthly annual leave entitlement after receiving pay for at least 75 hours in a month

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies, but CMs will retain her or his accrual rate in effect upon deeming, until reaching the next higher increment under the collective agreement.
  • Additionally, the collective agreement provides for two (2) personal leave days per year and a one-time entitlement of five (5) days.
  • CMs will also be provided a one-time vacation leave adjustment of forty (40) additional hours.

p) Annual Leave Bank

RCMP

Cap of 400h (50 days)

PIPSC TB

Cap of 262.5h (35 days)

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies, but credits will be maintained at existing levels upon deeming and will not be prorated to reflect the change from a 40 hour workweek to a 37.5 hour work week.

q) Compassionate Care Leave

RCMP

-Compassionate Care - Capped at 5 days, except RCMP has additional option to use this leave for ‘relocating a widowed parent or orphaned brother/sister’
-Bereavement Leave – Max 40 hours per occurrence and no additional days provided for the purposes of travel

-‘Compassionate and bereavement leave’ - capped at 80 hours in a fiscal year, 40 of which can be granted for illness in the family

PIPSC TB

-Compassionate Care – Capped at 5 days, except PIPSC members have an additional option to use this leave for ‘unforeseen closure of the school/daycare facility’

-Bereavement Leave – Total of 7 consecutive calendar days, with additional 3 days for travel
-‘Compassionate and bereavement leave’ – Leave caps are separated per type of leave, with no cap on number of incidences of bereavement leave in a given calendar year

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

r) Sick Leave

RCMP

No earning of sick leave credits. Sick leave is granted on an as needed basis with no maximum defined. A medical certificate is required after 4 consecutive days or at the supervisor's discretion

PIPSC TB

-Current system: sick leave credits earned at the rate of nine decimal three seven five (9.375) hours for each calendar month for which the employee receives pay for at least seventy-five (75) hours

-PIPSC and Treasury Board have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement on the creation of a new Employee Wellness Support Program (EWSP). The proposed EWSP focuses on improving wellness and the reintegration of employees into the workplace after periods of leave due to illness or injury. EWSP negotiations between PIPSC and Treasury Board are ongoing, and are expected to be completed in the near future.

For more information about EWSP and updates, please refer to: PIPSC Employee Wellness Support Program

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies. However, upon deeming, CMs will be granted a sick leave bank which is the greater of:
    • a minimum of 65 days or
    • 10 days per year of service (6.25 hours for each completed month of service)

s) Care and Nurturing of Preschool Children (Leave Without Pay for the Care of Immediate Family)

RCMP

-Cap of 5 years total in a member’s service
-Minimum of 6 months for each occurrence

PIPSC TB

-Cap of 5 years total in a member’s service (potential to exceed cap if employee is awaiting Employment Insurance (EI) Compassionate Care Benefits)
-Minimum of 3 weeks for each occurrence

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

t) Personal Needs Leave

RCMP

-Entitled to leave without pay for personal needs once for a period of up to 3 months during a member’s total service

-Entitled to leave without pay for personal needs once for a period of more than 3 months but not exceeding 1 year during a member’s total service

PIPSC TB

-Entitled to leave without pay for personal needs once or twice (depending on the collective agreement) for a period of up to 3 months during a member’s total service

-Entitled to leave without pay for personal needs once or twice (depending on the collective agreement) for a period of more than 3 months but not exceeding 1 year during a member’s total service

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

u) Maternity/Parental Leave & Maternity/Parental Allowance

RCMP / PIPSC TB

-Max of 18 consecutive weeks LWOP for maternity leave and a max of 37 consecutive weeks of LWP for parental leave – or a combined max of 52 weeks

-If 6 consecutive months of service have been completed prior to the leave, while on maternity and parental leave, an employee is eligible for an allowance of 93% of his/her weekly rate of pay less any EI or QPIP entitlements during that period

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

v) Funeral and Burial Entitlements

RCMP

-Entitlements vary depending on whether the member was serving at the time of death, death was in the line of duty, or retired to pension

-Up to $15 050 to defray funeral expenses (rates are subject to review by the Secretary of the TBS); potential additional 7.9% towards cost of second funeral director
-Option to purchase burial marker/headstone to a maximum of $220 and RCMP will grant perpetual care of it

-Plot or niche is free for CMs and eligible survivors, for burial in RCMP-designated cemeteries

PIPSC TB

Does not exist

OUTCOME

  • CMs shall remain eligible for funeral and burial entitlements. Upon retirement, these entitlements will continue until her or his death.

w) Death Benefits

RCMP

-Balance of pay for month of death and a death gratuity equivalent to 2 month’s pay (with 2 or more years of service)
-Eligibility and amounts for survivor benefits are the same under the Survivors Income Plan (SIP) and the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPC)

PIPSC TB

-Balance of pay for month of death

-Eligibility and amounts for survivor benefits are the same under the Survivors Income Plan (SIP) and the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP)

OUTCOME

  • Beyond the scope of negotiation - Legislation

x) Relocation

RCMP

-RCMP Relocation Directive is similar to NJC Relocation directive, some benefits slightly differ

-2 year limit to claim reimbursement

PIPSC TB

-Outlined under NJC Relocation Directive
-1 year limit to claim reimbursement

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

y) Pre- and Post- Retirement Relocation

RCMP

-Relocation expenses are paid on retirement if the member has been posted during their career. Member must relocate more than 40km from principle residence unless occupying Crown owned housing
-2 year limit to claim reimbursement

PIPSC TB

Does not exist

OUTCOME

  • Entitlement is retained for those eligible due to a relocation that occurred prior to deeming.

z) Pension

RCMP / PIPSC TB

For as long as you remain continuously employed in the public service, deemed CMs, regardless of when you were engaged with the RCMP (including those hired after January 1, 2013) will continue to be Group 1 contributors under the public service pension plan. As group 1 Contributors, you maintain your existing normal retirement age of 60. This means that deemed CMs will be eligible to receive an unreduced pension payable at age 60 with at least two years of pensionable service, or age 55 with at least 30 years of pensionable service.

For more information, please refer to: s. 387 of the 2014 Budget Implementation Act, volume 2

OUTCOME

  • Beyond the scope of negotiation (Legislation)

aa) Veteran Affairs Canada (VAC) Pension Act Benefits

RCMP

VAC has sole authority to determine whether the member’s medical condition or death was attributable to, or aggravated by, service in the RCMP, and the extent to which the medical condition is pensionable

PIPSC TB

Covered under Provincial Workers’ Compensation Board

OUTCOME

  • Beyond the scope of negotiation (Legislation)

ab) DI/LTD

RCMP

-Provides a monthly benefit equal to 75% of your gross monthly salary, in the event you are totally disabled and unable to work

-Employee pays 15% of the premium, while federal government pays 85% of the premium

PIPSC TB

-Once EWSP is finalized, employees with banked sick leave in excess of 26 weeks will be entitled to carry over those excess days to provide extended coverage at 100% income replacement prior to accessing LTD
-LTD will be provided for 70% of pre-disability earnings

-Employee pays 15% of the premium, while federal government pays 85% of the premium

For more information on DI Plan premium rates, please refer to: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Disability Insurance Plan premium rates

OUTCOME

  • Beyond the scope of negotiation (National Joint Council)

ac) Life Insurance

RCMP

$160,000 Basic: Available to Civilian Members, and Retired Civilian Members who meet the eligibility requirements

$198,000 Optional: Available to Civilian Members and Retired Civilian Members who are covered for Basic Life Insurance

Dependent Life Insurance: Available to Civilian Members and Retired Civilian Members who are covered for Basic Life Insurance

PIPSC TB

Mandatory Supplementary Death Benefit coverage – amount equal to double the employee’s annual salary, rounded to the next multiple of $1000. Contribution rates = $0.15/month for each $1000 (basic coverage)

For more information, please refer to: Public Services and Procurement Canada Supplementary Death Benefit

OUTCOME

  • Beyond the scope of negotiation (Legislation)

ad) Health & Dental Care Entitlements and Benefits

-No waiting period when switching over from the RCMP Health Care Entitlements and Benefits Program to the NJC Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP)
-Health care plan number and certificate number will remain the same
-Dental care plan number and certificate number will change, however there will be a seamless transition because there is no waiting period

OUTCOME

  • Beyond the scope of negotiation

ae) Fitness and Lifestyle Program

RCMP

-Maximum of 60 minutes per week of time away from normal duty for physical activity (can be taken in segments of 15 to 30 minutes)
-Personal time for physical activity must be matched to amount of time spent away from normal duty for physical activity

PIPSC TB

Does not exist

OUTCOME

  • Subject to operational requirements, CMs shall retain this benefit for as long as they remain within a bargaining unit (group) represented by PIPSC either within RCMP, or those CMs that will become SSC employees at the time of deeming, for as long as they remain with SSC.

af) Long Service Award

RCMP

-20 years: RCMP Long Service Medal and Certificate/CM Medallion and Pin and Certificate
-25 years: Bronze Clasp with one Star/CM Pin
-30 years: Silver Clasp with two Stars/CM Pin
-35 years: Gold Clasp with three Stars/CM Pin
-40 years: Gold and Silver Clasp with four Stars/CM Pin

PIPSC TB

-20 years of federal service: Certificate signifying 20 years of service, signed by the Commissioner
-20 years exclusive RCMP employment: Lapel pin
-25, 30, 35, 40 years: Informal scroll, indicating milestone being recognized

OUTCOME

  • Beyond the scope of negotiation (RCMP Policy)

ag) Personal/Volunteer Leave

RCMP

Does not exist

PIPSC TB

-Total of 15 hours of leave with pay for reasons of a personal nature

-Leave can be taken in periods of 7.5 hours or 3.75 hours

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies

ah) One-Time Entitlement (Formerly known as “Marriage Leave”)

RCMP

Does not exist

PIPSC TB

-One time entitlement of 37.5 hours of vacation leave with pay on the first day of the month following the employee’s second anniversary of service

OUTCOME

  • Collective agreement applies
Published on 18 July 2019

As agreed during negotiations and mediation, the RCMP and Shared Services Canada (SSC) have provided the Institute with a letter confirming the application and interpretation of certain provisions contained in the collective agreements:

Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
250 Tremblay Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Kl G3J8

Subject: Flexibilities Applicable to Civilian Members

This letter is to confirm the application of certain provisions contained in the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) collective agreements (CS, AV, NR, SP, RE, SH) to civilian members at the RCMP and for those civilian members that will become Shared Services Canada employees on the date of deeming. By virtue of this letter, we are providing our commitment that these interpretations will take effect upon the date that civilian members become subject to the collective agreement, namely, the earlier of the date of deeming or the date mutually agreed to by the parties.

The interpretations are as follows:

Hours of Work

Where operational requirements permit, the RCMP and SSC will allow civilian members to start their normal workday at 6am.

Leave with or without pay for other reasons

Civilian members at the RCMP and SSC are eligible to request leave with pay under the Leave with or without pay for other reasons article of the applicable collective agreement in the following two instances:

  • to assist in relocating a widowed parent or an orphaned brother or sister in either the member's or the spouse/common law partners family; or
  • to visit a person who is certified as being critically ill by a medical practitioner

Stand-by and Overtime (Operational Readiness under the civilian members terms and conditions of employment)

The RCMP terms and conditions related to Operational Readiness (OR) will no longer apply to civilian members. The Stand-By provisions of the relevant collective agreement will apply.

This letter confirms that in instances where the Employer requires a civilian member to remain on a worksite, as determined by the Employer, during off duty hours, the employee shall be compensated in accordance with the overtime provisions of the relevant collective agreement.

Fitness and Lifestyle

Where operational requirements permit, the RCMP and SSC will be flexible in allowing civilian members to take a weekly maximum of 60 minutes of time away from normal duty for physical activity.

As with the other negotiated provisions, these measures will continue for as long as the former civilian member remains within a bargaining unit represented by the Institute either within the RCMP, or for those civilian members that will become Shared Services Canada (SSC) employees at the time of deeming, for as long as they remain within SSC or the RCMP. In closing, we are committed to supporting good faith bargaining and look forward to working with you to provide some stability and peace of mind for the civilian member workforce.

Yours sincerely,

Carl Trottier
Associate Chief Human Resources Officer
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Stephane Cousineau
Senior Assistant Deputy Minister
Shared Services Canada

Published on 11 July 2019

June 14, 2019

COMPREHENSIVE OFFER OF SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE

PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF CANADA

AND

THE TREASURY BOARD SECRETARIAT OF CANADA

IN RESPECT OF THE TRANSITION MEASURES FOR RCMP CIVILIAN MEMBERS

IN THE FOLLOWING BARGAINING UNITS

APPLIED SCIENCE AND PATENT EXAMINATION (SP) GROUP

ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING AND LAND SURVEY (NR) GROUP

AUDIT, COMMERCE AND PURCHASING (AV) GROUP

COMPUTER SYSTEMS (CS) GROUP

HEALTH SERVICES (SH) GROUP

RESEARCH (RE) GROUP

  1. The following Memorandum of Agreement with respect to certain terms and conditions of employment for deemed Royal Canadian Mounted Police Civilian Members will be incorporated as an appendix to the collective agreements for each of the PIPSC bargaining units as listed above.
     
  2. The parties agree that the terms and conditions of employment applicable to RCMP civilian members will remain in effect until the earlier of the date of deeming or until a date mutually agreed to by the parties. The provisions of the collective agreement and this Memorandum of Agreement will apply to civilian members thereafter.
     
  3. The Employer and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada agree to withdraw all remaining items not identified in the Memorandum of Agreement and agree that civilian member transition measures will not be further discussed at the AV, CS, NR, RE, SH and SP bargaining tables.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)
DATE

Treasury Board of Canada
DATE

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT

WITH RESPECT TO

CERTAIN TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

FOR DEEMED ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE CIVILIAN MEMBERS

General

This memorandum is to give effect to the agreement reached between the Employer and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (the Institute) on certain terms and conditions of employment applicable to employees that were Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Civilian Members on the day immediately preceding the date on which they were deemed to be persons appointed under the Public Service Employment Act as per the date published in the Canada Gazette (date of deeming).

The parties agree that the terms and conditions of employment applicable to RCMP civilian members will remain in effect until the earlier of the date of deeming or until a date mutually agreed to by the parties. The provisions of the collective agreement and this Memorandum of Agreement will apply to civilian members thereafter. For greater clarity, paragraphs 3 a. to c. of the “Memorandum of Understanding between the Treasury Board and the Bargaining Agents with Respect to Implementation of the Collective Agreement” as agreed to by the Institute and Treasury Board do not apply to civilian members.

Upon written request of the Institute, the Employer agrees to incorporate into this agreement any civilian member transition measures, negotiated with any other bargaining agents between now and the date of deeming, that are more generous than those contained in this agreement.  

Any amendments to this agreement shall require the written agreement of the Institute and the Employer.  

Notwithstanding the applicability of the general provisions of this collective agreement, the following specific provisions also shall apply to deemed civilian members (thereafter former civilian members).

Eligibility

The transition measures contained in this agreement will continue for as long as the former civilian member remains within a bargaining unit represented by the Institute, either:

  1. within the RCMP;
  2. for those civilian members that will become Shared Services Canada (SSC) employees at the time of deeming, for as long as they remain within SSC or the RCMP.

Existing leave credits

The Employer agrees to accept any unused, earned leave banks of a former civilian member to which he or she was entitled to on the day immediately prior to the date of deeming (including vacation leave credits, lieu time, operational response, and isolated post credits). 

For greater clarity, existing leave banks will not be prorated to reflect the change from a 40 hour workweek to a 37.5 hour workweek.

Vacation Leave

Accumulation of vacation leave credits

The Employer agrees to maintain the vacation leave credit accrual entitlement that is in effect on the day immediately prior to the date of deeming. The former civilian member will maintain his or her vacation leave entitlement until the next anniversary of service threshold, provided that the vacation leave credit accrual schedule contained in this collective agreement is equal to or greater than their corresponding leave entitlement.

For greater clarity, the vacation accrual rate post deeming will be prorated to reflect the change from a 40 hour workweek to a 37.5 hour workweek in accordance with the following table:

Conversion Table:
 

Vacation leave accrual rate prior to deeming (i.e., 40 hour work week (CM)

(hourly credits per month)

Vacation leave accrual rate post deeming (i.e., 37.5 hour work week) (PSE)

(hourly credits per month)

10

9.375

13.33

12.5

16.66

15.625

20

18.75

Vacation Leave Adjustment

Former civilian members will be granted forty (40) hours of vacation leave credits and these credits will not be subject to the carry-over provisions of the applicable collective agreement.

Former civilian members are subject to all other provisions outlined in the vacation leave article of the relevant collective agreement.

Sick Leave

Granting of sick leave credits

In recognition of the civilian members’ transition from an unrestricted sick leave regime to a sick leave bank regime, upon the date of deeming, former civilian members shall be granted a bank of sick leave credits that is the greater of 6.25 hours for each completed calendar month of service or 487.50 hours of sick leave credits.

Pay Increment

The anniversary date for the purpose of pay increment will be the date on which the former civilian member received her or his last pay increment.

Relocation on retirement benefit

Upon the date of deeming, former civilian members who were relocated at the Crown’s expense will be eligible for a retirement relocation. Claims for reimbursement of relocation expenses shall be paid in accordance with the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada (TBS) approved RCMP Relocation Policy that is in effect at the time the former civilian member retires from the core public administration. The Employer also agrees to consult with the Institute about any contemplated changes to this policy.

Funeral and Burial Entitlements

Former civilian members shall remain eligible for funeral and burial entitlements in accordance with the RCMP’s Death Benefits, Funeral and Burial Entitlements Policy that is in effect at the time the benefits are applied for.  The Employer also agrees to consult with the Institute about any contemplated changes to this policy.

Upon their retirement, these entitlements will continue until their death.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)
DATE

Treasury Board of Canada
DATE

Published on 21 June 2019

The RCMP CM Negotiation Team has successfully concluded negotiations in mediation with the Treasury Board to secure a Memorandum of Agreement establishing the terms for transition of RCMP civilian members into the PIPSC collective agreements. The RCMP CM Memorandum of Agreement (RCMP CM MOA) is effective upon deeming, May 21, 2020, and your existing terms and conditions, including pay-matching, continue until that time.

This agreement is the culmination of months of preparation, including a review of all RCMP terms and conditions, membership survey, bargaining conference with CM participants, many meetings of your Negotiation team, nine days of negotiation meetings with Treasury Board and three full days and evenings in mediation. 

The RCMP CM Negotiation Team set out to accomplish a fair and equitable agreement to address the concerns and priorities of our civilian members, as identified by civilian members in the membership survey. These priorities included Sick Leave, Annual Leave, Hours of Work, Overtime, Lieu Time Banks and Retirement Relocation.

Highlights of the Agreement

The following terms will apply for all civilian members upon deeming:

  1. Sick Leave – PIPSC members currently receive sick leave bank credits under the collective agreements, and are eligible for Long-Term Disability (LTD) after thirteen (13) weeks (65 days). Upon deeming, civilian members will be granted a sick leave bank of a minimum of 65 days or 10 days per year of service, whichever is greater. 
  2. Vacation – Civilian Members will retain the accrual rate in effect upon deeming, until reaching the next increment under the collective agreement. In addition, each civilian member will receive:
    • A one-time vacation entitlement of five (5) days as provided for under the collective agreement; plus
    • An additional one-time vacation leave adjustment of forty (40) additional hours.

With the inclusion of two days of personal leave per year available under the Collective Agreement, over 85% of civilian members will receive more paid leave than under the existing RCMP Terms & Conditions.

  1. Hours of Work – Change from 40 hours per week including paid half-hour meal break to 37.5 hours with unpaid lunch. 
    • While CM's are pay-matched in respect to annual salary and weekly pay, this results in a 6.67% increase in the hourly rate for the purposes of calculating overtime and payouts of leave bank and compensatory/lieu time.
    • Civilian members required to remain on duty during their lunch hours will be paid overtime.
  2. All leave banks, including vacation and lieu time credits, will be maintained at existing levels upon deeming, with no adjustment due to the increase in hourly rate. This represents a 6.67% increase in the value of these credits at time of payout. Maximum carry-over provisions under the collective agreements will not apply until March 31, 2021, with excess amounts paid out at the new hourly rate.
  3. Retirement Relocation benefits have been retained for those eligible due to a relocation that occurred prior to deeming.
  4. RCMP Funeral & Burial entitlements have been retained.

The Agreement includes a parity clause, which requires the employer to incorporate any civilian member transition measures, negotiated by another bargaining agent (union) between now and the date of deeming, which are more generous than those contained in the agreement.

Additional Details

We will be preparing information packages and scheduling information webinars specifically for civilian members in the coming days and weeks. Please monitor your email for more information.

Next Steps

The RCMP CM Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will be included in the Minutes of Settlement for renewal of the PIPSC Group Collective Agreements, for ratification. Presently the AV, NR, RE, SH and SP Groups have reached tentative agreements for renewal collective agreements, and these groups will be commencing the ratification process in the coming weeks. As part of the ratification process, information packages are being prepared for distribution to every eligible member of these groups, including registered civilian members, which will provide more details of the proposed changes to the group collective agreements, including the results of the Central Agreement and the RCMP CM MOA. 

The CS Group is preparing for mediation in July, and the RCMP CM MOA will form part of the outcome of the CS negotiations.

In the event that a PIPSC group collective agreement is not signed prior to deeming, the expired collective agreement will apply to the civilian members in this group, except that the terms and conditions of employment included in the RCMP CM MOA will also apply.

You Must Be a Member to Vote

In order to cast your ballot during the ratification process, you must be registered as a PIPSC member. You can register here: https://www.pipsc.ca/member-tools/application

Thank You!

The Negotiation Team would like to recognize the continuous contribution and support of PIPSC President Debi Daviau, Director of National Labour Relations Richard Beaulé, and the PIPSC Communication and Mobilization Teams during these historic negotiations.

Better Together!

RCMP CM Negotiations Team,
Daniel Chamberlain, Chair
Civilian Member

 

Published on 20 June 2019

Treasury Board and Commissioner Lucki want to move RCMP Civilian Members to the failed Phoenix payroll system. President Debi Daviau has written to the Commissioner to make our opposition to this plan clear.

After three years of fighting for our members who are suffering under Phoenix, there is no reason for RCMP Civilian Members to be exposed to the same problems.

Now is the time for you to add your voice.

Email Commissioner Lucki

Please take action immediately. Email Commissioner Lucki and let her know that you do not want to be paid through the failed Phoenix system. We are pushing for the only logical alternative — delay deeming and remain with the current pay system.

We need every Civilian Member across the country to participate, so please encourage your colleagues to send this email now.

Published on 23 May 2019