Your new collective agreement: implementation and retro pay

The implementation process is underway for the AV, NR, RE, SH, SP, CNRC (LS, IR, RO-RCO, TR), CRA (AFS), OSFI, CNSC (NUREG), NEB and NFB collective agreements.

Your employer has 180 days from the date of signing the new collective agreement to:

1. raise your pay according to the new rates
2. provide retro pay for the time elapsed since the expiry of the old contracts and
3. pay you $400 as a penalty for extended implementation timelines

We expect a large number of members to receive their pay increases by the end of 2019. After this process is complete, your employer can start the process of calculating and distributing retro pay over the coming weeks and months.

It is okay if you have not received your wage increase yet. If the employer fails to provide retro pay within the 180 day deadline they will face additional financial penalties. Upon that failure, you will be awarded $50 on day 181 and again every 90 days to a maximum of $450. This is in addition to the $400 listed above.

Phoenix related pay issues:

We do not expect the implementation of the new pay rates to fix ongoing Phoenix related pay issues. If you were not receiving the correct rate of pay before implementation, it is unlikely the implementation process will correct the issue. As the implementation process progresses, we expect everyone will receive pay increases corresponding to higher rates of pay in the new collective agreements.

For information about what to do about ongoing Phoenix related pay issues or if you are seeking compensation for damage done by the pay system visit pipsc.ca/phoenix.

We have sought to address many common questions about the implementation of your new pay rate and retro pay.

Watch the retro pay webinar.

To find more details about your new rate of pay please visit your group page to find your pay rate table.

For more information, review the Frequently Asked Questions.

If you still require clarifications contact your steward.

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.

PIPSC and Treasury Board have come to an agreement on the implementation of your new Parental Leave allowance gains that were achieved during this round of negotiations.

The new parental allowance provisions are currently applicable to the AV, NR, RE, SH, SP, CNRC (LS, IR, RO-RCO, TR), CRA (AFS), OSFI, CNSC (NUREG), NEB and NFB collective agreements. Information on your group’s negotiation process is available on your group page.

On November 18, 2019, the new extended parental leave allowance and the additional shared weeks available under Employment Insurance and QPIP will be implemented.

This implementation date determines whether the 2014-18 collective agreement language or new 2018-2020 collective agreement language will apply to the employee’s parental allowance. If an employee starts parental leave on or after November 18, 2019 the new language will apply, if the leave starts before November 18, 2019 the old language will apply to the entire allowance. 

We have sought to address many common questions and parental allowance scenarios.

For more information, review the Frequently Asked Questions.

Watch our Parental Leave Webinar outlining key changes to the parental leave policy, eligibility requirements, and strategies for accessing it.

If you still require clarifications contact your steward. 

We are celebrating big wins!

You give your best in your workplace and to your family, each and every day. We went into these negotiations to get agreements that acknowledge and support this – and we got results.

14 groups across Canada have signed their new collective agreements:

Applied Science and Patent Examination (SP)

Audit, Financial and Scientific (AFS)

Audit, Commerce, Purchasing (AV)

Engineering, Architecture and Land Survey (NR)

Health Services (SH) 

National Energy Board (NEB) 

National Film Board (NFB) 

National Research Council – Research Officer/Research Council Officer (NRC-RO/RCO) 

National Research Council – Information Services (NRC-IS)

National Research Council – Library Science (NRC-LS) 

National Research Council – Translation (NRC-TR) 

Research (RE) 

Nuclear Regulatory (NUREG) 

Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) 
 

Each of these collective agreements will include all of the central bargaining wins.

Major Central Bargaining wins:

• A base wage increase of 7% for all groups over the next 4 years — in addition to the wage increase negotiated at your group’s table.
• A historic win of 10 paid days of leave for survivors and victims of domestic violence.
• Each member with a ratified contract will receive a $400 compensation for the extended implementation of this new contract.
• Language on harassment that for the first time in the Canadian public service enshrines the right of a worker to a workplace free of harassment and violence.
• PIPSC collaboration with Treasury Board to replace Phoenix is secured.
• Members returning to work from parental leave will no longer be obligated to repay top-up if they move between departments and agencies for a new role.
• If you are owed retroactive pay and you do not receive it within 180 days compensation of $50 will be award on day 181 and again every 90 days to a maximum of $450.

Some of our fellow union members continue their fight at the bargaining table. We stand together in enthusiastic solidarity insisting on a fair deal for every PIPSC member.

We are pleased to announce the following groups have voted in favour of ratifying their new collective agreements:

• Audit, Financial and Scientific – CRA (AFS)
• Audit, Commerce & Purchasing (AV)
• National Energy Board (NEB)
• National Film Board (NFB)
• Engineering, Architecture and Land Survey (NR)
• National Research Council - Information Services (NRC-IS)
• National Research Council - Library Science (NRC-LS)
• National Research Council Research Officer and Research Council Officer (NRC-RO/RCO)
• National Research Council - Translation (NRC-TR) 
• Nuclear Regulatory (NUREG)
• Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI)
• Research (RE)
• Health Services (SH) 
• Applied Science and Patent Examination (SP)

Congratulations to all the bargaining teams that have worked so hard on these deals. Thank you to all the members across the country who supported their teams and helped make these deals possible.

Because of the Phoenix pay system’s inability to implement changes in a timely manner, the new collective agreements will take up to 180 days to implement. Members of the above groups will receive $400 in compensation for the delay.

Some groups, including the CS Group continue their important bargaining work. Learn where your group stands by visiting your group page.

When you vote YES to your group’s tentative agreement, your new contract will include all central bargaining wins. These wins include significant economic gains:

Wage Increase
You deserve wages that reflect the real cost of living. PIPSC members have successfully negotiated with the Treasury Board to secure a 7% base wage increase over the next 4 years for all groups.
This is in addition to the wage increases negotiate at your group’s table.

Late Implementation Bonus
Once your contract is signed, you will receive $400 compensation for the extended implementation of this new contract. We knew that the employer would not be able to meet our implementation deadlines, so we secured a penalty payment right off the top.

Retroactive Pay Penalties
You must be compensated for the late delivery of your retro pay. If you are owed retroactive pay and you do not receive it within 180 days of your agreement’s signing, compensation of $50 will be awarded on day 181. Every 90 days after, another $50 will be awarded to a maximum of $450.

Vote YES to secure these wins.

Some groups have tentative agreements now and others continue their important work at the bargaining table.
Find information on your group-specific negotiations at pipsc.ca/groups.