On February 14, 2023, the national Contract Management Committee (CMC) met with representatives from the Federal Treasury Board to receive an update on the RCMP’s collective bargaining process. The CMC was advised that the National Police Federation (NPF) submitted a notice to bargain to the Federal Treasury Board on December 9, 2022. Since that time, the parties have held two negotiating sessions, with a third planned for early April 2023.
Federal Treasury Board advised that items within scope of this round of collective bargaining include working conditions, leave provisions, and compensation. Importantly, negotiations will be guided by a total compensation framework that considers salaries, allowances and benefits, among other things. It is anticipated that the financial impacts related to compensation will be minimal compared to the financial increase associated with the first Collective Agreement.
All policing contract partners cited concerns to the federal government regarding the lack of consultation and engagement throughout the negotiations for the first Collective Agreement. The importance of early and ongoing engagement and communication throughout the bargaining process, to the extent possible, while respecting its confidential nature, is vital to contract partners’ ability to budget accordingly and ensure their jurisdictional needs are considered. Some of the improvements specifically requested by local government representatives on the Contract Management Committee include more accurate information on estimated cost impacts; joint statements from the NPF and federal government outlining bargaining priorities and process updates; and, direct communication between the federal government and contract partners (including local governments) during collective bargaining.
UBCM continues to reiterate its request that the federal government absorb all retroactive costs associated with the implementation of the first RCMP Collective Agreement (2017-2023). The federal government has committed to pausing invoicing for the retroactive amounts until this issue is resolved, and that it will deliver notice to contract partners regarding its decision in advance of any future action. It is unknown when a final decision will be made regarding this issue. As of February 2023, the federal government was still considering its options.