The national Contract Management Committee (CMC) was recently advised that the RCMP has ratified their second collective agreement. The federal Treasury Board of Canada (employer) and the National Police Federation, the union representing RCMP members below the rank of Inspector and Reservists, have signed the second RCMP collective agreement.
Earlier this year, an arbitrator awarded RCMP Members a 4% salary increase per year for two years and a one-time allowance of $2,500, which are included in the new collective agreement (see our April 24, 2024, article for more details).
Local governments will be financially impacted by retroactive costs associated with this two-year agreement (April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2025). Retroactive costs will be included as part of the regular billing cycle. The total financial impact, including retroactive amounts owed, has not yet been provided.
Similar to the first collective agreement process, Treasury Board of Canada is also examining pay rates for commissioned officers (rank of Inspector and above). These members are not covered by a collective agreement. The federal government is expected to provide additional information once it is available.
In alignment with provisions in the collective agreement, the National Police Federation will be able to give notice to bargain as early as December 1, 2024 (120 days prior to the expiry of the second collective agreement). In advance of the third round of negotiations, the RCMP has included the planning rate in contract partners’ Multi-Year Financial Plans (MYFPs). Local governments are advised that negotiated salary increases or those imposed through third-party arbitration could result in increases below or above the planning rate. B.C. local governments that wish to build contingencies that are higher than those included in the MYFPs into their financial planning processes to mitigate potential fluctuations in negotiated rates or the possibility of arbitration, are encouraged to do so.