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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.

This document is produced for information purposes only, on a without prejudice basis with respect to any position PIPSC may subsequently advance on behalf of its members in negotiations with the Treasury Board Secretariat.

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

Terms & Conditions Comparison Summary

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

b) Meal Break

RCMP

  • 30 minute paid meal break at regular rate of pay

PIPSC TB

  • Does not exist

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”

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

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)

f) Operational Response (Stand-by)

RCMP

  • 1 hour of pay for each 8 hour period of Operational Availability
  • 1 hour of pay for each 4 hour period of Operational Readiness[1]
     

    [1] We were originally informed by Treasury Board that Operational Readiness does not apply to CMs, however CM representatives have advised us otherwise.

PIPSC TB

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

g) Overtime

RCMP

  • Offers OT at 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 or 3.0 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, 2.5 or 3.0 times regular rate of pay, depending on duration, rest day, etc.
  • 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 day of rest and subsequent days of rest

h) 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

i) 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.)

j) 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 hours worked on a day of rest

k) 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

l) 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)

m) 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

n) 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

o) Annual Leave Bank

RCMP

  • Cap of 400h (50 days)

PIPSC TB

  • Cap of 262.5h (35 days)

p) 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

q) 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

r) 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

s) 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

t) Maternity/Parental Leave & Maternity/Parental Allowance

RCMP

  • 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

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

u) 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

v) 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 (PSPC)

w) 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

x) 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

y) Pension

RCMP

  • 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

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

z) 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

aa) 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

ab) 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

ac) Health & Dental Care Entitlements and Benefits

RCMP

  • 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

PIPSC TB

  • 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

ad) 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

ae) 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

 

af) 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

ag) 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

 

ah) Health Break

RCMP

  • Does not exist

PIPSC TB

  • Two 15-minute health breaks in a full working day

 

 

Published on 20 February 2019

Introduction

We are publishing this summary for the information of PIPSC members who are RCMP Civilian Members, to ensure members are aware of the issues at stake in our upcoming negotiations with Treasury Board. We encourage members to review the summary and let us know if you have any questions or concerns with the contents.

This document represents a high level summary of the differences between existing RCMP Terms and Conditions of Employment, and comparable provisions within the six collective agreements for PIPSC members employed by Treasury Board in the Core Public Administration groups:

  • Computer Systems (CS);
  • Applied Science and Patent Examination (SP);
  • Engineering, Architecture and Land Survey (NR);
  • Research (RE);
  • Health Services (SH); and
  • Audit, Commerce and Purchasing (AV)

How to Support Your Negotiations Team

Our goal in negotiations is to protect your existing terms and conditions of employment. We need your support in order to do be successful.

You can help us by:

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.

This document is produced for information purposes only, on a without prejudice basis with respect to any position PIPSC may subsequently advance on behalf of its members in negotiations with the Treasury Board Secretariat.

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

Terms & Conditions Comparison Summary Table

Published on 10 December 2018

The Bargaining Team held our first meeting in Ottawa from Thursday November 8 to Saturday November 10, 2018, and had a busy three days establishing the foundation for effective negotiations with the Employer:

  • The team received extensive training on the bargaining process, legal framework and negotiation methods.
  • The team reviewed a preliminary report from the Civilian Member survey.  We are grateful to the 36% of the CM’s who responded to the survey, as your insights, feedback and support is critical to achieving our goals.
  • The team reviewed a report from PIPSC Research on the key differences between terms and conditions for RCMP Civilian Members as compared to the current Collective Agreements.  Once finalized, this report will be shared with Institute members later this month.

The RCMP Bargaining Conference will be held in Ottawa November 21 and 22, 2018.  Registered participants will meet with the Bargaining Team to review issues and concerns, and to develop strategies for success in the bargaining process.

The Bargaining Team will be meeting December 12 to 14 to prepare our proposals for the negotiations to transition civilian members into the public service.  Our proposals, along with Treasury Board’s proposals, will be published for the information of members once they are exchanged with Treasury Board.

We are committed to keeping our members informed throughout this process.  Our goal is to protect the benefits of our members, and to earn your support to ensure we achieve our goal.

Better Together!

RCMP CM Bargaining Team

Robert Boivin

Daniel Chamberlain

Sushil Dixit

John Eng

Crystal Gardiner

Karon Miles

Pierre Touchette

Published on 19 November 2018

The Institute is pleased to announce the Bargaining Team, appointed by President Debi Daviau, who will be responsible for negotiating the transition of the RCMP Civilian Members into the six Core Public Administration collective agreements with Treasury Board.

The RCMP CM Bargaining Team is comprised of three RCMP Civilian Members and four experienced group representatives:

  • Robert Boivin, Montreal QC, RCMP CM CP-02 classification, CS Group member
  • Daniel Chamberlain, Ottawa ON, RCMP CM EE-04 classification, NR Group member 
  • Sushil Dixit, NCR, SP Group representative
  • John Eng, NCR, NR Group representative
  • Crystal Gardiner, Edmonton AB, RCMP CM FSLS-02 classification, SP Group member
  • Karon Miles, Burlington ON, CS Group representative
  • Pierre Touchette, NCR, CS Group representative

The team will meet in November and December to prepare for negotiations with Treasury Board.  The team will also participate in the RCMP CM Bargaining Conference, scheduled for November 21 and 22 in Ottawa.

About the RCMP CM representatives:

Daniel Chamberlain has worked in several civilian classifications with the RCMP in the Atlantic and National Capital regions, as a Radiocommunication Technologist, SP-CP and currently Electronic Engineer (SP-EE). For the past seven years Daniel has been managing radio systems renewals across Canada. “As a 23-year Civilian Member (CM) of the RCMP, it is an honor to be appointed to the CM Bargaining Committee,” said Chamberlain. “To be selected to bargain on your behalf is an important responsibility and I wish to ensure all CM’s are treated fairly during the deeming process. I also understand the importance of working collaboratively with PIPSC to identify common concerns CM’s may wish to raise in discussions with Treasury Board. I am committed to bringing this experience to my new role in order to ensure all CM’s have an effective voice on the CM Bargaining Committee.”

Crystal Gardiner currently works as a Reporting Scientist (FSLS-02) in the Biology Section of the National Forensic Laboratory Services -Edmonton. “I started my CM career as a Reporting Scientist in Regina a little over 10 years ago and relocated to Edmonton in 2014,” said Gardiner. “I am excited to represent CMs at the bargaining table and am passionate about maintaining our benefits as we transition to the Public Service.”

Robert Boivin joined the RCMP C Division in 1999 as a public servant. He held various positions such as fleet management and within the Special I service. Robert converted to civilian member status in 2008. He worked as a LAN administrator in C Division until 2016. He also served as a sub-rep for the SSR program from 2014 until the end of the program, which was around 2017. After managing PTSS/PTSB deployment for G7 for the last year, he is now working with PTSS C Division as a SP-CP-02. "I am very happy to join the Bargaining Team", said Boivin. "Be assured that I will do everything I can to defend the rights and privileges currently held by civilian members."

Published on 17 October 2018

Apply to join the RCMP-CM Bargaining Conference, November 21-22 in the National Capital Region!

Interested CMs from across Canada are invited to apply to attend the conference.

Soon, PIPSC will be entering into negotiations with the Treasury Board to address differences between the RCMP terms and conditions of employment with PIPSC’s collective agreements of the six core Treasury Board occupational groups. These are the occupational groups that CMs will eventually join.

The CM bargaining team has been established to conduct these negotiations. This Bargaining Conference will support their work.

Potential candidates must:

  • Be PIPSC members. To become a member, you must have completed a PIPSC Membership Form.
  • Complete an online application form indicating why you would like to participate in the conference and listing any related experience.
  • In order to ensure effective representation, the Institute will consider level of interest, occupational group, classification, region and language. To ensure the conference represents the diversity of the workforce, members of equity seeking groups including; women, racialized persons, First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, people with disAbilities, LGBTQ+ members, and young workers (under the age of 40) are encouraged to apply.

Completed online applications must be received by email at no later than Monday, October 22, 2018 at 12:00 PM EDT.

An informal interview may be requested to clarify or expand on any information provided in your application.

For more information, please contact civilian_members@pipsc.ca.

Published on 5 October 2018

I,_of the_ (Region, Department, classification) hereby express my willingness to serve on the RCMP CM Bargaining Team.

 

Tel: (Personal):                
Email: (Personal):
 

Candidate Name:
PIPSC Membership Number:
Signature:
Date:
I support the nomination:

 

Nominator Name:
PIPSC Membership Number:
Signature:
Date:
I support the nomination:

 

Nominator Name:
PIPSC Membership Number:
Signature:
Date:
I support the nomination:

 

Nominator Name:
PIPSC Membership Number:
Signature:
Date:
I support the nomination:

 

Nominator Name:
PIPSC Membership Number:
Signature:
Date:
I support the nomination:

 

Nominator Name:
PIPSC Membership Number:
Signature:
Date:
I support the nomination:

PDF Version

Completed forms are to be received by email at civilian_members@pipsc.ca no later than Monday, September 10, 2018 at 5:00 pm ET.

Published on 30 July 2018

On May 21, 2020, RCMP civilian members (CM) will be deemed appointed under the Public Service Employment Act and will be included in the Treasury Board occupational groups.

In anticipation of this transition, PIPSC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Treasury Board. The MOU maintains CM’s current terms and conditions and outlines a process for addressing differences between these terms and the collective agreements of the six core Treasury Board occupational groups CM’s will be joining.

PIPSC is establishing a Bargaining Team to conduct these negotiations, and is seeking three (3) RCMP Civilian Members (CM) to join.  In addition to the three CM’s, the team will include PIPSC members representing the six core groups. The Bargaining Team will be supported by PIPSC staff, including a Negotiator and a Research Officer. 

To ensure the team represents the diversity of the workforce, members of equity seeking groups including; women, racialized persons, First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ members, and young workers (under the age of 40) are encouraged to apply.

Potential candidates must:

Completed application must be received by email civilian_members@pipsc.ca no later than Monday, September 10, 2018 at 5:00 pm ET.

An informal interview may be requested to clarify or expand on any information provided in your application.

Applications will be reviewed by the Office of the PIPSC President and appointments will be announced in mid-September. The mandate of the Bargaining Team will last for the duration of the bargaining process. Successful applicants will be selected based on their relevant skills and experience, ability to represent the workforce and availability.

For more information, contact civilian_members@pipsc.ca.

Published on 30 July 2018

On June 20, 2018, we organized three webinar information sessions for the RCMP Civilian Members (CMs) who, following a decision from the Federal Labour Board on April 13, 2018, have been included in our union.

For many Civilian Members, this is their first experience as a unionized worker. The webinar provided an opportunity for Isabelle Roy, General Counsel and Chief of Labour Relations Services to explain the history of how RCMP Civilian Members came to be unionized. She also addressed general concerns about being a unionized worker and answered participants’ pressing questions.

For those of you who missed the sessions, here is a recap of what Isabelle Roy covered.

You can listen to the three audio files.

Session 1 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm (English)

 

Session 2 from 1 pm to 2 pm (French)

 

Session 3 from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm (English)

 

What led to the unionization of RCMP Civilian Members?

Roy: In 2016, the Supreme Court of Canada issued a decision in a case called the “Mounted Police Association of Ontario” (MPAO) that recognized it was unconstitutional to prevent Civilian and Uniformed members, in the RCMP, from being included in bargaining units.

Civilian Member were previously denied freedom of association under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Because of this, the Public Service Labour Relations Act was amended to allow Civilian and Uniformed members to be employed by Treasury Board and subject to the same unionized environment as the Federal Public Service.

The Employer was tasked to take concrete steps in order to ensure a practical transition into the core public service for Civilian Members.

This is referred to as the “Deeming process.”

Why was PIPSC chosen to represent this group of Civilian Members?

Roy: Unions, including the Institute, were consulted by the RCMP and Treasury Board, long before the Mounted Police Association of Ontario (MPAO) decision was issued.

The Institute identified two main risks between the date that they were unionized (April 13, 2018) and the date they would be deemed public servants (2020):

  • Civilian Member did not get the benefit of a bargaining agent; and
  • No one was able to speak on their behalf once the Deeming date came along.

In order to mitigate these risks, the Institute applied to the Labour Board for confirmation that work being done by Civilian Members was work that was already covered by existing bargaining certificates within PIPSC.  The Labour Board consented, and as a result, approximately 1,400 Civilian Members were declared part of the Institutes’ existing bargaining units.

Current Civilian Member terms and conditions will remain unchanged until the Institute is able to negotiate the transition into existing Collective Agreements.

How will the transition affect Civilian Member negotiations?

Roy: The Institute is reaching out to Civilian Members in order to find representatives who will sit at the bargaining table. Key staff and knowledgeable representatives from other bargaining units, will be trained to negotiate the integration of Civilian Members into existing Collective Agreements. Negotiations will be framed under the Federal Public Service Relations Act at a bargaining table and will be annexes to the Institutes’ current Collective Agreements. After the first round of bargaining. These annexes will be subject to negotiations under their respective group Collective Agreement.

Why are Civilian Members transferring into the union before the deeming date?

Roy: The most important benefit to Civilian Members joining a union is having a collective voice to assist in defending their interests. That voice will be essential at the bargaining table and during various consultations with the Employer. Civilian Members are also entitled to benefit from the services of our Labour Relations professionals.

The Institute has seven Regional Offices across the country staffed with Labour Relations Officers and Employment Relations Officers who are trained to assist employees. In addition, the Institute has a number of Stewards in the workplace. Stewards are fellow public servants who have received training and assistance from the Institute to help them represent their colleagues in the work place with various issues that may arise with the Employer.

When are Civilian Members going to pay union dues?

Roy: Dues collection will begin on November 1, 2018. This date will allow everyone involved a longer period to adjust to these changes. Dues are set at the amount of $72.56/month and are determined by our membership at PIPSC’s Annual General Meeting.

Can a Civilian Member opt out of the union?

Roy: In Canada, our legislation provides that everyone who benefits from a Collective Agreement must pay the dues associated with that Collective Bargaining Agent. Whether or not people choose to sign-up as an active member of the Institute, the deduction and remittance of dues will occur. Based on the legislation, the only exception to paying union dues and being unionized is religious observance.

How are staffing and job opportunities within the public service going to be addressed?

Roy: If a current Civilian Member applies for a job in the public service and is successful, then by accepting, they also accept the terms and conditions of that position. If this is done before the deeming date, then they wouldn’t be affected by what the Institute negotiates for Civilian Members. For the purposes of the selection processes, Civilian Members are considered a person employed in the public service.

How will the deeming affect the pensions of Civilian Members?

Roy: Accrued pensionable service credits under the RCMP Plan will be automatically transferred into the Public Service Pension Plan upon deeming. Included in that is a member’s current RCMP Service years on the day of deeming and periods they may have bought back when they came into the RCMP Plan.

The effective date for this transfer is the deeming date.

If a Civilian Member were to retire before the deeming date, they would retire subject to the terms of the RCMP plan. If they retire after deeming date, they will be subject to the terms of the Public Service Pension Plan.

After answering the questions that Civilian Members had sent in before the webinar, Isabelle began live Questions. Here are some highlights of the questions submitted by Civilian Members during that period:

Q: What services and advantages do my union dues give me access to?

Roy: You have the right to representation for Labour Relations issues and the right to a collective voice in the workplace. Should you decide to sign our membership application form, you have access to training, can vote on Institute business, become a Steward and use our Member Benefit program Service Plus (http://www.pipsc.ca/member-tools/member-benefits)

Q: What if the decision of deeming is reversed?

A: The Employer and the Union have come to an official agreement. Since both parties have taken these important steps, it is highly unlikely that the deeming decision will be reversed.

 Q: Are submitted Membership Applications confidential?

Roy: The information provided to the Institute in the Membership Application Form is not shared with the Employer. It is used for collective bargaining updates, elections and voting information and a means of communicating with Institute members. The Employer does not know or have access to find out who signed membership application form. The Institute’s Privacy Policy is available on our website (http://www.pipsc.ca/about/governance/policies/privacy)

Q: Payroll dates differ from Civilian Members and the public service. Will this change?

Roy: Pay dates will be subject to change in the future. Please refer to the internal RCMP document “Deeming and Your Pay.”

Q: What should a Civilian Member do if they do not agree with their classification and pay matching in the public service?

Roy: If you believe that you have not been properly classified, can reach out to civilian_members@pipsc.ca and a representative will be in touch shortly to discuss this issue with you.

Q: Are managers part of the union?

Roy: The tasks carried out by a position determine whether or not a person should be part of a bargaining unit. If you believe that your assigned duties should be excluded from the Institute, contact RCMP Management as they are responsible for making the request to Treasury Board, who will then consult with PIPSC.

Q: Will our current Terms and Conditions be grandfathered into our new collective agreements?

Roy: Your terms and conditions remain the same until the Institute can negotiate the transition. A tremendous amount of work is being done to compare your current working conditions and those of your new Collective Agreements. Grandfathering is certainly an option.

Q: What will happen to the current Civilian Member sick leave plan?

Roy: Under the RCMP Act, Civilian Members have an unlimited amount of sick leave. This is one of the issues that will be subject to negotiations with the Employer. It is important to note that PIPSC is currently negotiating a new Employee Wellness Program for its current members that is similar to the disability management framework at the RCMP. This will allow for better coverage of disabilities and chronic illnesses.

Q: Why is PIPSC only reaching to Civilian Members now?

Roy: Before April 13, 2018, we did not have the data or your contact information. Now we are able to provide updates on our current efforts.

In the coming weeks and months, you will see an increase of engagement activities by the Institute. Should you want to help us organize a visit at your worksite, please reach out to PIPSC Mobilization team at civilian_members@pipsc.ca. If you have additional questions, please also don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We will continue to provide updates on the progress of the transition as new developments occur. Be sure to sign up at  https://action.pipsc.ca/ (bottom of webpage) to receive our latest communications.

Published on 23 July 2018

You’re unionized: here are 3 immediate benefits

Friends,

I have great news! You finally have a union.

The Federal Labour Board has granted our application to represent nearly 1,400 RCMP Civilian Members (CMs). That means you are now a PIPSC member and benefit from our services and the collective power of 55,000 public service professionals.

Being a PIPSC member empowers you to join the process of collective bargaining. It gives you a seat at the table. It allows you to directly advocate for yourself and your coworkers.

Published on 25 April 2018