Updates to FAQ
Your RCMP CM Bargaining Team met with the Treasury Board Bargaining Team to further discuss each other's proposals on October 17-18th.
The employer will be sending out communications shortly with regards to deeming. In anticipation of this, we’d like to provide you with additional information based on some of the questions we have received from members.
What is the status of deeming?
According to TBS, deeming has been suspended indefinitely. The employer has no intention to move forward with deeming unless a majority of CM unions request deeming.
In 2019, PIPSC undertook a campaign to prevent CMs from being moved to the failed Phoenix pay system. On March 2, 2020, the RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki announced that the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister of Public Safety recommended that deeming should not proceed. Deeming was previously planned for May 21, 2020.
During the 2023 CM Bargaining Sessions with Treasury Board Secretariat and RCMP, it was further confirmed deeming is still indefinitely suspended and is not a government priority.
Why was deeming postponed in 2020?
Extensive testing was conducted by the Treasury Board, RCMP and Public Services and Procurement Canada to assess the overall stability of the Phoenix pay system and its capacity to pay CMs.
Following completion of the testing, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki announced on March 2, 2020 that they were not completely satisfied that all conditions were in place and that deeming would not go ahead on May 21, 2020.
Why are Civilian Members unionized?
In 2016, a Supreme Court ruling rendered the RCMP’s Staff Relations Representative (SRR) Program unconstitutional, opening the door for Civilian and Regular Members to Unionize.
As most Civilian Member (CM) classifications had been already pay-matched or touch-pointed to existing Public Service classifications, PIPSC made applications to Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board (PSLREB), under Section 58 of the Public Service Labour Relations Act (PSLRA).
In 2017, PIPSC entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TBS to protect and maintain the superior terms and conditions of employment of CMs and protect CMs from losing these superior conditions by moving directly into the Collective Agreements of the various bargaining groups.
In 2019, PIPSC entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with TBS to continue protecting CM superior terms and conditions and to provide a transition of CM terms and conditions following deeming.
We have updated our FAQ section with additional information, based on questions received. Also you can post your questions to our facebook group here.
In the coming months we will be scheduling town halls for CMs, please keep an eye on your email for an invite.
As always, we’ll stay in touch.
In solidarity,
Robert Boivin, Chair
On behalf of your RCMP CM Bargaining Team