National Police Association calls on Liberals to amend Bill C-7 ahead of vote

OTTAWA, May 11, 2016 /CNW/ - Today the Mounted Police Professional Association of Canada (MPPAC) called on all Liberal Members of Parliament to amend legislation, Bill C-7, which falls short of guaranteeing members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) the right to meaningful collective bargaining. The House of Commons is expected to vote on the Bill on Wednesday, May 11.

"MPPAC has been fighting for years to change the RCMP's labour relations system, and what we have in Bill C-7 is a bill that is too restrictive on critical bargaining matters," said MPPAC's President, Rae Banwarie. "Despite what has been said this week in the House of Commons, RCMP members have not been consulted on this collective bargaining legislation. Yet they want to be."

In a recent survey to members, MPPAC found that 99% of respondents ( a sampling of over 1,000 members), believe they should be consulted on how Bill C-7 will affect them. The results also revealed some other key areas in which members want to have a say in their collective bargaining agreement, but which Bill C-7 fails to address:

• A majority (99%) want a say in terms of pay
• A majority (95%) want a say in terms of staffing
• A majority (97%) want a say in terms of their pensions
• A majority (91%) want a say in terms of transfers from positions and appointments
• A majority (90%) want harassment included in the collective agreement
• A majority (89%) want discharges & demotions included in a collective agreement 
• A majority (83%) want a say in terms of law enforcement techniques
• A majority (78%) want a say in appraisals and probation
• A majority (76%) believe the fiscal situation of the country should not be a factor in arbitration matters.  Sample survey of over 1000 RCMP members can be found here ( http://mppac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/MPPAC-Survey.pdf).

Two key areas that should be included in a collective bargaining agreement, but are not, are working conditions and the right to respectful and safe workplaces that are free of harassment and discrimination.

Banwarie continued, "Why should other police collective agreements in Canada address these matters, and the RCMP collective agreement be silent?" MPPAC Media Relations Terry McKee stated, "The problems that the public are now seeing have persisted in the RCMP for a very long time. What makes anyone believe the Force's culture and working conditions will improve unless there's real change? This will only come with a collective agreement which will force cultural changes in the RCMP. Bill C-7 in its current form does not."

Until recently, the RCMP was the only police agency in Canada (there are 227 in total) prohibited from collective bargaining - Supreme Court of Canada Jan 2015. 

MPPAC was established in 2010 and has successfully fought for the right to engage in collective bargaining through an independent association on behalf of RCMP regular and Civilian members across Canada. In recent years, MPPAC has raised questions of the RCMP management's accountability, resources and training, and ongoing issues related to officer safety. 

SOURCE Mounted Police Professional Association of Canada (MPPAC)

For further information: Terry McKee, Media Relations, Mounted Police Professional Association of Canada/Association Canadienne de la Police Montee Professionelle/T: [phone], E: [email protected]